Black Radiance
by beni kuro
Summary: Kuroko swore to beat the Generation of Miracles in order to make them realize their mistakes and acknowledge him. However, he has his doubts because not only are the Miracles the glorious female basketball prodigies of their century, but Kuroko must also deal with anger, distrust and a fatal attraction that keeps bringing the ones who betrayed him back to his side. fem!GoM x Kuroko
1. Prologue- I will beat them

It had been a while since Kuroko had done this. Three years ago, it would've been a natural occurrence, almost like a routine. For hours he would remain crouched in a fetal position, pondering the meaning behind his existence. Lost in his thoughts, he would gradually forget the time ticking by along with his lonely reality. He would sink into an alternate world in which all his dreams came true. At times, sleep would overtake him and that world would take on a realistic tinge. Either way, when he came to, he would eventually face the real world and all the horrors it brought him. Three years ago, he sincerely believed that his dreams were far better than his reality. However, in a drastic turn of events, reality blossomed into a pleasing sight. At least, for a while.

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><p><strong>Black Radiance<strong>

_A Kuroko no Basuke Fanfiction_

by beni kuro

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><p><strong>Prologue : "I will beat them."<strong>

Everything started changing when he met Aomine. The ace of the female basketball club accepted him on account of their shared love for the sport. They would practice for hours on end, polishing their skills and giving each other advice (more her to him than him to her). It was a lagging process but his basketball improved somewhat. Basketball had been one of the things tying him to reality. She became the second. He began to notice the clear blue shades in the sky.

Next came Akashi, whom helped develop his style of basketball. She gave him the chance to actually play in games and to fulfill his promise with his childhood friend. She was his teacher and was patient with him. She was the one he respected the most and had the highest regard for. To him, she was the tiny push of encouragement that he had lacked all throughout his life. The beautiful red of the sunset came into view.

All the while, Midorima and Murasakibara were there to support. Although he and Midorima were not as compatible, her advice and support had kept him standing. Her (not so) discrete methods of aiding him were fairly amusing to watch and the green haired female provided him all the good luck he needed in life.

Despite his low stamina, the team made no exceptions for his practice sessions. He would feel ragged after every practice. It was during those times that he found the most pleasure in Murasakibara's company. She was a more relaxed character and her childish personality was refreshing after harsh training. She belittled him sometimes, however he liked the attention as he had not been treated that way during his childhood. Green and purple pigments were visible in the plants and flowers.

Later on, Momoi and then Kise entered his life. Momoi, with her cheerful and bubbly personality, was extremely encouraging. She was motherly in a way, constantly watching over the team and taking care of them. He felt the attention he had lacked from his own mother. Kise was a different influence. She was an equally cheerful and childish person. She was also quite reliable and surprisingly insightful. She would read into people's expressions and try to help those in need of encouragement. Sometimes people appreciated it, but most of the time it was annoying. All the same, she was a thankful presence. Slowly, he began to see the soft hues of yellow from the sun's rays and the lovely pink in the evening sky.

It was a picture of perfection, full of vibrant colors. Nothing was amiss, or at least, he didn't think there was anything wrong. His naïvety and inexperience led to his own downfall. His foolish ideals of compassion and affection stabbed him in the back. He didn't realize it, until the truth could be seen right before his eyes. One by one, the beautiful hues disappeared and returned to its gray color. However, on that fateful day, months before present, his world turned black. He got launched into the abyss and had to watch the five from afar. He was powerless as he saw them fall deeper into their intricate cages, woven by their own hands. He could barely withstand the pangs of pain he received as he observed them grow stronger. At that point, he lost all the courage he had built up. He ran away as fast as he could and hid away from them out of despair.

After resigning from the basketball club, he had shut himself up in his house, refusing to go to school. His attendance record suffered no blows, after all, his teachers couldn't see whether he was there or not. It had been many months since then. During those months, he hadn't seen a trace of them but he had heard plenty about them. Everywhere he went, he heard their names, their title. _'The Generation of Miracles.'_

He could only wonder what they were doing now. Since they had not pursued him, he guessed that they did not care about him after all. He was simply a tool for success, which soon became useless in their eyes. Although he was a tiny piece in their life, they had been the largest influence in his. To him, their existence was essential, they meant life to him. Therefore, life without them was simply not life at all.

Now, in March, their third year in middle school was drawing to a close. Tomorrow was the third year's graduation ceremony. There was the question that had nagged him for a while. He contemplated the pros and cons of attending the graduation ceremony but one thing outweighed all else. He had avoided them for so long that a small bubble of longing had filled his heart. No matter how many times he denied it, he wanted to see them. He knew he couldn't win against his desires this time. He tried, he persisted, but in the end his heart won. They won.

Would they care whether he was there or not? Would they even notice him? How was he supposed to know?

What did he mean to them? They meant the world to him, but he had never closely questioned what he meant to them. Every breath he took was thanks to them. He owed his whole life to them, but would they even care about that?

Question upon question, contemplating the reason behind his existence, piled up in his head. His mind was in a state of complete pandemonium. Forcefully, he shut the thoughts out, leaving a single resolution behind. _'I am going to see them.'_

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><p>No matter how many times he saw it, the school was impressive. Teiko Middle School was famous for its prestigious academics and sports programs and was one of the most honoured schools in Tokyo. The sight was magnificent but it had always intimidated him. Pushing the thought aside, he dodged his way into the building and towards the auditorium where the graduation ceremony would take place. The auditorium was a spacious room, filled with row upon row of black velvet chairs. The floor took on a sparkly sheen, glowing under the overhead lights. The whole room had a bright dreamy glint to it, all screaming elegance.<p>

As the graduation ceremony began, graduates filed into the auditorium and sat down in alphabetical order. He found himself at the end of the third row. The first glimpse he got of one of the Miracles was Kise Ryouka. She was a few seats to the left of him, legs crossed and one of those customary smiles on her face. Boys and girls alike fawned over her appearance. He suddenly felt goosebumps rise on his arms. The smile that decorated Kise's face was undeniably fake, her golden eyes were cold and contemptuous. He tore his azure eyes from the scene, shivering slightly. He almost wondered who that person was.

After the principal's formal speech, one of the teachers called out the first name. The graduates stood, one by one, forming a line on one side of the stage and stepping up when it was their turn. The familiar figure with dark, navy hair and tanned skin stood out from the rest. Aomine Daina strutted forward as elegantly as she possibly could and accepted her certificate. He was unable to stop himself from letting out a chuckle. Aomine was anything but elegant. The uneasiness from Kise's sudden change in attitude disappeared as he watched Aomine. She seemed almost identical to the person he had last seen.

Soon after Akashi Seika stepped on stage, the role model student. With her long red hair flowing behind her, she bowed to the principal before descending the stage on the other side. The aura she gave off made his breath catch in his throat. The posture and expression were authoritative and something about her heterochromatic eyes turned his blood into ice. The captain of the Generation of Miracles. That was the second time he felt that something had changed completely.

Kuroko stood as his row lined up on the other side of the stage. He was barely listening to the names being called.

"Kise Ryouka." The words caught his attention and he glanced upwards as Kise walked across the stage. There was something mysteriously disconcerting about his former teammates. He knew they had changed since their second year but it seemed as if they had all done a drastic character change. Kuroko remembered how they had acted before he had left, but the Miracles all seemed more distant from everyone else than they used to be. More importantly, they were far from a basketball court.

"Kuroko Tetsuya."

In his peripheral, he saw Kise stop in her tracks and turn to stare at the stage. He saw Aomine perk up in her seat. Akashi seemed to narrow her eyes in disapproval. The two other Miracles seated near the back rows now came into view. Midorima Shinju seemed to have her signature frown on her face and if his eyes weren't betraying him, for an instant, Murasakibara Atsuko had stopped eating the snacks she had smuggled in. All this he had observed in a matter of seconds.

Kuroko stepped on the stage, bowing respectfully to the principal and accepting his certificate. All the while, he felt as if someone was staring daggers at his back. He turned gracefully and left the stage as quickly as he could. Five pairs of eyes followed him but he didn't dare to meet any of them. On his way back to his seat, he passed by Kise. For a split second, he felt a soft tug on the sleeve of his uniform. As he seated himself, his azure orbs met intense, golden ones. There was a harsh glint in those eyes and he felt a shockwave throughout the length of his body. Those eyes had a predatory gleam to them, and an darknees that seemed to accuse him.

In that instant, he understood how much of a mistake he had made. He turned his head away, shaking violently. His instincts urged him to run out of the auditorium immediately. However, even with his lack of presence, he knew that was an impossible feat. Therefore, he forced himself to stay seated until the end of the ceremony. It was an excruciatingly slow process, but the last students finally returned to their seats. He tuned out after that, although he pretended to listen to the guest speakers.

He almost jumped out of his seat when the teacher told them to stand. Bowing once more, the graduates trickled out of the auditorium and out of the building. Only then did he hear the whoops of joy and the excited cheering of the third years. As much as he would like to join in their happiness from having closed yet another chapter in their life, something else drove him to escape. Breaking into a run, he dodged his way around the crowd and across the courtyard. It wasn't as easy as it sounded as the crowd thickened before his eyes. The crowd trapped him in the middle of the courtyard, unable to move an inch. No one made way for him as they didn't notice him. _'Damn it!'_

In his desperation, he tried to push his way through, however the force of the crowd was stronger. He felt a hand on his shoulder and he flinched.

"Tetsuya."

That silky smooth voice was that of his basketball captain. Looking over his shoulder, he saw the locks of dark red hair and narrow heterochromatic eyes. The grip on his shoulder was firm. The smile that graced Akashi's pale face was that of a triumphant victor.

"Why don't we talk?" In his field of vision, he noted the rest of the Generation of Miracles standing behind Akashi. It wasn't a suggestion, it was an order. The fact that the other Miracles were there meant that Akashi would force him to speak with her, no matter what the circumstances. He couldn't put up a fight in this situation. He nodded in compliance. Akashi smirked at the boy before her.

"Follow me."

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><p>Kuroko found it ironic that they chose to talk behind the third string gymnasium. It was also alarming that they surrounded him, forcing him against the wall of the building. Being pinned against the wall, he had lost all possible escape routes. His vision strayed away from the five people in front of him, looking anywhere but them. He didn't want to meet any of those hostile eyes. Unfortunately, nothing was going as he hoped it to.<p>

"Tetsuya, look at me," an insistent voice hissed. Kuroko complied unwillingly, staring into those dark, dichromatic eyes. He gulped his fear down, keeping his emotionless façade. A flicker of fear showed in his eyes, but he couldn't rid of it.

"What does Akashi-san want to talk about?" He was quite proud that no trace of fear could be detected in his voice. Years of keeping that emotionless mask had paid off. For once, he was glad that he had chosen to always pretend that he felt nothing. After years of practicing, he learned to hide his feelings behind that mask of nothingness. It was a useful trick in times like these.

The red-head took a step back, crossing her arms in front of her. "Akashi-san, huh?" she asked quietly, anger laced in her tone. "Didn't we use to go by a first name basis, Tetsuya?"

If the bluenette could have put more distance between himself and the red-head, he would've done so. Instead, he replied, voice tentative and cautious. "I don't think you called me here to reminisce."

Akashi let out a soft chuckle. "You're right."

Kuroko blinked as he looked at the Miracles. For a minute, no one moved or spoke. Kuroko had now deduced that they were leaving Akashi to do all the talking. He was proven wrong, however, when Aomine spoke up.

"Tetsu..." she murmured, catching the boy's attention. His azure orbs focused on the tanned girl who was running a hand through her shoulder-length, navy blue hair. Suddenly, he felt a blast of force next to his head as Aomine slammed her fist against the wall. Kuroko's eyes widened in shock as he stared into those dark eyes. They resembled that of a wild panther. This wasn't the Aomine he had last seen. Something had changed. Something horrible had happened.

Had he caused it?

"Tetsu, where have you been?" The deep resonance in Aomine's voice scared him. His fear was visible in his eyes. It didn't help that all five of the girls were probably more physically fit than him. They were all taller than him, even though they were all girls. In a physical fight, he would lose. If he tried to run away, they would catch up to him in a matter of seconds. His only choice, then, was to stand there and wait until their talk was over. That was, if this was only a talk.

Kuroko remained speechless for a while. He averted his eyes, staring down at the ground beneath them.

"Kurokocchi," another voice caused him to gaze upwards. Kise returned his gaze, eyes full of determination. The old Kise wouldn't have had such a serious expression on her face. She would always be smiling genuinely and creating a cheerful atmosphere. The fact that she was frowning and practically glaring at him informed him that he had to get out of there. He already knew that...the question was how.

"Tetsuya, answer the question," Akashi commanded.

"Please be more specific with your questions." He wanted to bury his face in his hands after he had said that. He wasn't in the place to demand anything. He couldn't forsee what would happen. It was such a foolish move to test their patience.

"She meant what have you been doing these past few months?" Midorima spoke, making Kuroko jolt. It was suprising that Midorima spoke out of turn. She dedicated herself to the rules and always played safe. The idea that she would interrupt such a dangerous conversation came as a small shock to him. A small glint in her green eyes told him why. She, too, was eager to hear the answer to the question. The only person that seemed disinterested was Murasakibara who was busy devouring her snacks.

Kuroko closed his eyes briefly before finally answering. "I was at home. I haven't been feeling well these past few months." It was a lie, but what else could he say?

"You're not very good at lying, Tetsu," Aomine growled.

Kuroko blinked, feeling a little incredulous. "Then what do you want me to say?" he murmured monotonously.

Before Aomine could retort, Akashi cut in. "Enough," she spoke, irritation showing in her gaze. "It doesn't matter." She glared pointedly at Aomine who moved back into place. Without meaning to, Kuroko let out a relieved sigh, although his relief was short-lived.

"Tetsuya." The teal head turned to look at his captain. "Which high school are you planning on going to?"

The question surprised him. So this was the reason they were cornering him. In his mind, he considered whether he could spare to tell them the answer to that question. A small part of him urged him to tell them. In that case, they might come to see him. That optimistic hope meddled with his common sense and rendered him irrational. As he opened his mouth to answer, he regained his wits and stopped the words from spilling out.

"Well?" The insistent voice snapped him back into reality.

A tiny flame of defiance kindled within him. "Why should I tell you?" he asked testily, although nothing could be detected in his voice.

Akashi frowned at the question. "Are you defying me?" The words quenched the flame in Kuroko and he cowered helplessly against the wall.

Kuroko wondered what he should do. He didn't know how the Miracles would use that piece of information.

What did he want? He wanted to understand, to figure out what had happened. He didn't want to remain within the grasps of these ferocious predators. They weren't the people he once knew. He finally accepted that. His only choice now, was to run out of the reach of these people. Therefore, the only thing he could do was withhold the truth. Lying would get him nowhere. His instincts were ringing like alarm bells, demanding that he escape as soon as possible. If only someone would come. If only...

"What are you all doing out here?" The warm and cheerful voice of the basketball team's manager reached his ears. Kuroko turned to look at the girl who was approaching them. She had her usual smile on her face and her eyes had a genuine warmth to them. The sight of the girl saved him.

"Satsuki. We're busy at the moment," Akashi murmured, eyes glinting at the interruption.

"Huh, oh, is that so. Well, sorry for disturbing you," Momoi began to turn and walk away. Kuroko internally screamed at the girl to come back. Her slowly retreating figure seemed to mock him. Thankfully, she glanced over her shoulder again, her eyes widening. "Tetsu-kun?" she called out, startled.

Her interruption was all he had needed. Kuroko quickly ducked and sprinted away from the Miracles. He heard shouts behind him but he didn't dare turn to see if he had any pursuers. He ran as fast as he could, like a mouse being chased by a cat. Soon, he found himself in the courtyard where people were slowly beginning to empty out. This time, he dodged through the crowd successfully and was soon on his way towards his house at a full sprint. The sound of voices were diminishing in the background. How foolish he had been! He should have foreseen all this. Again, his naïvety had struck him from behind. He could only scream at himself for his stupidity.

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><p>"Wait! Tetsu-kun!"<p>

Kuroko glanced over his shoulder and saw only Momoi behind him. However, he didn't stop for her. _'It could be a trick,' _he thought.

"It's only me! They aren't following you, Tetsu-kun!"

Kuroko stopped in his tracks and stared blankly at his manager. He wasn't sure whether he could trust her or not. She finally caught up, grabbing his shoulder for support as she panted. After catching her breath, the peachette looked up towards him. "Tetsu-kun," she muttered concern in her voice. "What's wrong? What happened?"

Kuroko shook his head, his soft blue locks flying. "I don't know," he answered, his voice wavering. "I don't understand either." Momoi stared at him, slightly shocked.

"But-" she began, but the teal head cut her off.

"They only asked me which high school I was going to, but, there was something wrong. They were so _different_," he murmured softly. His voice cracked for a second and he paused. "They_―_" His voice was weak as he searched for the words to describe his feelings, yet there were none.

"What happened?" he asked her, eyes glinting with fear. "What happened while I was gone?"

Now it was Momoi's turn to shake her head. "I don't really know either. I haven't seen them like that before, at least, in anything other than basketball."

_'Basketball.'_ It was the only thing tying them together, that had tied them together. It was the reason they had changed. The Generation of Miracles had changed because of basketball. Kuroko despised it. Kuroko despised basketball. It had stolen away everything that was important to him. It had taken away the people that he had once loved and replaced them with _monsters._ To think that basketball had been the only thing anchoring him to reality was extremely ironic. It made him want to laugh at himself.

"Tetsu-kun?" the peach-haired girl asked hesitantly. "What happened to you?"

Kuroko shut his eyes for a second, before opening them to inspect the girl. She was obviously shaken. The change was not only limited to the Generation of Miracles. No, Momoi had changed too. In the place of the girl who had been like a mother was a frightened woman, who had to watch her dear friends falling into a bottomless cage, unable to reach them, or understand them.

He too, had changed. He knew that very well, and it was all because of _basketball._

When he didn't answer, Momoi let her curiosity take over. "Tetsu-kun, are you going to continue playing basketball?"

Kuroko jolted out of his reverie. The shock he felt from the question showed in his azure eyes. "Momoi-san," he murmured. "I...can't..."

"Please, Tetsu-kun! I know this a selfish request, but please! I know I'm not the only one that wants them back! You're the only one who can do it!" she gushed out, her vision starting to blur. The boy looked on, unable to answer. How could he comply with such a request? How was he supposed to bring them back? The answer was right before him, but it was such a detestable solution to him. _'Why is it that the cause is the solution?!'_

"You know there is only one way we can help them, right?" Momoi asked, tears finally spilling from her magenta eyes. "You have to beat them. You have to beat them in basketball. It's the only way we can bring them back. So, please, Tetsu-kun..." Her voice trailed off and she began to sob softly into her hands.

Kuroko's eyes narrowed a fraction and he felt an ache in his heart. He clutched at the place above his heart. The empty feeling he felt pained him. He knew what Momoi was saying was right. She was right. He already knew the answer. He already knew the answer to her plea. All he had to do was say it.

Hesitantly, he opened his mouth. Then, he gave her a promise he would most likely fail to keep. **_"I will beat them."_**

It was his promise to save them, but in reality, it was just a simple excuse. An excuse to continue playing basketball. After all, that was all he had left to live for.

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><p><strong><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>**Kuroko no Basuke rightfully belongs to Fujimaki Tadatoshi. The characters in this story do not belong to me. I only own this piece itself and the plotline. Any similar works are purely coincidental.

**Author's Note:** Thank you for reading this horribly written fan fiction. This is my first fan fiction and I'm not used to all this yet...so please bear with me. English isn't my first language, although it is my strongest, so if there are any grammatical errors, I apologize. This was just a stray idea that I wanted to turn into a story. I will warn anyone that characters will be OOC, especially the GoM because I have turned them into females. There will be some differences from the actual characters and their actual personalities will only be an outline, so to speak. Kuroko is also quite different, the way he acts is the same, but the way he thinks and feels will differ.

This story will follow the plotline for the actual manga/anime. Again, that is just an outline though. There will be many differences from the story (mainly because the GoM are female here). I made the first name of the GoM's in a craze...I wasn't extremely serious. These names you can find in Japanese females (I know, because I am one), except Aomine's name. If you have another suggestion for Aomine's name, don't hesitate to tell me.

Lastly, please don't kill me because of this fan fiction. As I said before, I'm new to this and I'm just experimenting. So, please tell me your opinion on this. Thank you again, if you actually read this...sorry if this is too long for your liking. If you have any questions about the content please do not hesitate to ask.


	2. Chapter 1- Completely and Utterly

**Chapter 1 : "Completely and Utterly..."**

In Tokyo, the cherry blossom trees are at full bloom during the last week of March and the first week of April. Therefore, some find it sardonic that the new school year starts at such a time. In their eyes, the blooming of the cherry blossom trees signifies the beginning of a tedious year, full of stress and endless piles of academic work. On the other hand, school wasn't that awful, despite the workload given. There was always the pleasurable company of classmates and the lively club activities.

When Kuroko saw these cherry blossoms, neither school nor its diversions came to mind. The splendour of the cherry blossom trees only brought to mind a certain person and his memories with her. The most recent of these memories was the promise he had made to her. To be frank, it was a promise he had made on a whim. He had been under such pressure that it was impossible to reject. As impractical as the request was, he didn't regret agreeing to it. In fact, he was thankful that he had complied, even by force, otherwise he wouldn't know how to carry on.

The idea was simple: beat the Generation of Miracles. The idea in itself was straightforward, but to actually accomplish it was difficult, unimaginable. The Generation of Miracles had earned their title as the best team in the history of Japanese basketball and they lived up to their name. They were unstoppable. Hard work and effort weren't enough to bring them down. It certainly wasn't a one man job, but not any team would do. In order to beat them, he would need strong teammates and an especially strong light. He wondered if he could find those kinds of people at Seirin.

Seirin was a brand new school, only having been formed last year, therefore the school consisted of only first and second years. It was a good place to have a fresh start, something that Kuroko desperately needed. However, since it was a new school, that meant that it was a no name school. The school had no titles to brag about and it was, in general, inexperienced. On top of that, the number of students was small and within that, only a handful of people would be on the basketball team. He wondered if he could rely on them.

Kuroko frowned as he ambled down the sidewalk, his new school coming into view. He came to a full stop under an overhanging cherry blossom tree, a few pink petals falling towards him. A petal fluttered on the page of the open book in his hand but he made no move to brush it away.

_'Rely on them?'_ There it was again. That pang of emotion that he couldn't explain. For a while, he had experienced these nameless emotions whilst he was reflecting. It was a mysterious sensation, something between hurt and anxiety. The word was just within reach, but he couldn't put his finger on it. His incomprehension not only irritated him, but made him apprehensive. It was beyond his knowledge to describe the feeling, but he got the impression that it would become a problem in the near future. Shaking his head, he pushed his suspicions to the back of his mind. He would wonder about it later.

He stepped away from under the shade of the tree and made his way down the road, towards the wide iron gate of the school. The gate was wide open, letting in a steady flow of students. Already, first years filled the school's courtyard, trying to push their way through the crowd of second years that were recruiting club members. Kuroko got pushed lightly through the gates and he moved gracefully through the crowd, dodging the heedless students around him. The progression was slow, but Kuroko had plenty of time, plus he enjoyed watching the amusing efforts of the recruiters.

Kuroko finally broke free of the mass of people mulling around in the courtyard. To the side, Kuroko saw the notice board with a large map posted on its surface. The map consisted of boxes in lines with the names of the clubs written in each. Immediately, his eyes discerned that one word he was looking for; _basketball. _It was in a box on the far side of the map. It would be easy to find.

He stood still for a few moments in front of the notice board. The sounds of people melted into the background and all he could hear was the sound of his own breathing. His azure eyes focused on that point on the map, everything else blurring around it. It was his time to keep his promise. He couldn't even consider betraying his promise with his former manager. She was dear to him, just as much as the Generation of Miracles were. Now that he given her his word, there was no turning back, no running away. He couldn't run away, or the guilt would stay with him until the day he died. That was how much this meant to him. It was the only way he could live on, the only way he could redeem himself for having run away before.

There was only now. He couldn't change the past. He had to think about the present and what he could do now. He took a tentative step forward, which drove him to continue. Slowly, he made his way around the courtyard where the rows of tables were. He quickly caught sight of the table with the basketball club members. Sitting behind the table were two people, probably both second years. One was a girl with short, chestnut colored hair and dark brown eyes. She was shuffling through a few papers, reading over its content. She was probably the manager, by the way she organized herself. The other person was a boy with a shock of spiky black hair and narrow black eyes. He wasn't doing anything in particular so he was probably only there to greet any possible recruits. He was probably the captain.

Kuroko walked over cautiously, an unknown force making him hesitate. He frowned slightly and forced his legs to lead him to the table. Unsurprisingly, neither of the people noticed him. Whilst wondering whether he should make his presence known, the sight of the club application form caught his eyes. Picking one up, he observed the blanks on the form. It was straightforward. He only had to fill in the name of the club he wanted to enter, his name, his class and any other information, such as his resolutions.

A memory flashed in his mind. Suddenly, he wasn't there anymore. He was standing in the familiar courtyard of Teikō Middle School, on the first day of his first year. The long line at the table for the boy's basketball club had been slightly disconcerting. The memory played in his eyes. He stole one of the application forms from the table in front of him and filled it in. He left it resting on the table, so it could be found later. He appeared for the evaluation later that week and got placed into the third string. He had been nervous, knowing how even the third string wasn't exactly weak. They had to share the third string gym with the girl's basketball team, as there was no space for the girls to practice. There was a net placed at half court, drawing a line between the two teams. During practice, he watched the girls practicing and felt captivated by their plays. That was the first time he had seen them.

Kuroko blinked as he realized he was falling into a trance. Having awaken from his reverie, he picked up a pencil. Tentatively, he began to fill in the empty boxes on the form. He paused at the additional information part. He considered his options. He could write in the name of his middle school, that was relevant. He could also add his goals. He quickly scribbled in the name of his middle school, then paused. Before he could change his mind, he jotted down his goals. After finishing, he stared at the paper, that strange feeling filling his heart. Shaking his head, he grabbed an eraser and hastily erased the words explaining his goals. He had done it so quickly that a small rip formed in its place.

Guilt replaced the nameless feelings. It was a futile effort. He understood that. He would be betraying his promises. He knew that. Nevertheless, that human selfishness in him was acting up. He knew he was going to fail, he knew it was useless. What was the point in trying if he knew he couldn't win? He couldn't. He couldn't give in the form.

A part of him demanded that he apply to join the club. His benevolent side reminded him of the promise he had made. He regretted it now. Had he considered the full extent of his role in that promise, he would not have agreed to it at all. All he wanted, all he had ever wanted was acceptance, for people to let him in. Now, all he desired was to be left alone, but the voices in his head refused to do so. The painful memories kept returning to torture him more. They wouldn't leave him alone. They weren't here, they weren't near him, but he could feel their presence. They wouldn't leave him alone. They would never leave him alone.

He clenched his hands into fists, causing the paper to crumple in his grip. He smoothed the folds out, turning his back to the table and its occupants. After inspecting the paper closely, he crumpled the form into an untidy ball and threw it into a trash can nearby. Hanging his teal head, Kuroko began to walk away from the table and into the building, towards his first class.

_'Am I a coward?'_

* * *

><p>It wasn't uncommon for the basketball team to cause a commotion. Taking into account that they were crazy enough to scream their resolutions from the top of a building, the scene they were creating was normal. Some students snickered with amusement as they passed by, others simply ignoring them.<p>

Due to a certain auburn haired first year's appearance, the second year members were cowering in fear. The only member that was able to keep their cool was the coach of the basketball club, Aida Riko. At first, the guy's appearance shocked her. He had a ferocious expression on his face, his eyes resembling that of a wild tiger. The boy could only be described as intimidating, but the second year girl showed nothing. She smiled as pleasantly as possible and gestured to him to take a seat. As he sat himself down, she began to analyze him. She couldn't fully analyze his body structure, however she could tell that he had potential. That was blatantly obvious.

She began to speak, serving the boy a cup of tea. In reality she was continuing her analysis of him. He certainly was of a good build, suited for playing basketball. She concluded that he would be a great asset to the team and would be a great boost in strength. From what she could see, he would fit the description for a power forward or center. Either way, he would be a powerful addition to the team. She got dragged out of her thoughts when the boy interrupted her talk.

"Look, I don't care," the auburn-haired boy interrupted. "Give me a paper and I'll sign my name."

"Yeah, okay," Aida mumbled, pushing a form towards him. She watched as he jotted down his name, class and the name of his middle school. As he pushed the paper back towards her, she realized he hadn't added his future goals.

"Hey!" she called out to him as he stood up. "Aren't you going to add your goals?!"

Kagami crumpled up the empty cup of tea that she had served him. "I don't have any in particular. After all, Japanese basketball is all the same," he murmured, knitting his eyebrows together. Turning away, he expertly threw the cup behind him. It landed perfectly into the trash can. He shot them a last glance before walking away.

Aida sighed as she read over his form. "Kagami Taiga. From America," she announced to Hyūga Junpei, who sat next to her. The captain of the basketball team had been silent the whole time Kagami had been there, but now he spoke.

"What's with that guy?" he murmured under his breath. Aida simply shook her head and stared at the trash can, remembering how Kagami had been able to throw the cup in perfectly.

As she stared, a wad of paper grabbed her attention. She stood abruptly, slamming her hands against the table, making Hyūga jump in the process. She strutted over to the trash can, bending over its contents.

"Huh, coach?" Hyūga inquired, frowning. "Wait, what are you doing?!" he shouted as she stuck her hands into the trash can and pulled out a piece of crumpled paper and brought it back to the booth. It wasn't in such a bad state, as in, it wasn't covered in trash. Nonetheless, the paper had been in the trash can, therefore it probably wasn't as clean as it seemed.

"Coach?!" Hyūga asked again, squriming away from Aida and the paper she held.

Aida ignored him and smoothed the piece of paper out, smiling triumphantly. "As I thought," she murmured. "Someone was going to apply for our team but seems to have changed their mind. Look," she shoved the crumpled application form under Hyūga's nose.

"Don't stick that thing at me!" he shouted, trying to push the paper away from him without touching it.

"Yeah, yeah," Aida chuckled before pulling it away and inspecting the paper.

"Kuroko Tetsuya, hmm..." she murmured under her breath. Her eyes moved along the lines of the paper but she paused, an incredulous expression gracing her face. She grabbed the form, almost crushing it in her grip. "Wait, what?! He's coming from Teikō's basketball club!"

"What?! Teikō, as in _that_ Teikō?!" Hyūga asked, equally surprised. "Give me that! Wait, on second thought, don't give me that!"

"Look at it!" Aida shouted, waving the crumpled piece of paper in front of Hyūga's face.

"I thought I told you not to give me that!" Hyūga shouted back, irritated.

Aida could barely believe it herself. Teikō Middle School's was famous for its high level basketball club, consisting of more than 100 members. It even had three strings, the first string being the strongest. They boasted many successive championship wins, but Teikō was also famous for another thing. The Generation of Miracles. A team of five female basketball players, each with a talent seen once every ten years.

"In fact," Aida spoke aloud. "If he's a first year, that means he's also from the same year as the Generation of Miracles," she said slowly, eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

"The Generation of Miracles?! But wait, they're all female," Hyūga pitched in, breaking Aida's concentration.

"Ugh, it doesn't matter Hyūga!" she shouted, slamming the paper down on the table. "He's from Teikō! That means that he has talent in basketball! It doesn't matter whether he's one of the Generation of Miracles or not! Why didn't he join?!" she bit her lip in frustration, an overwhelming amount of questions attacking her.

Hyūga was about to reply when a first year approached their booth. This time, Hyūga did all the talking, leaving Aida to think to herself. Resting her chin on the palm of her hand, she let out an exasperated sigh. She closed her eyes to stop herself from staring at the application form in front of her. Somehow, the small rip in the center of the page made her wary. It felt as if it was trying to tell her something.

"Who are you...Kuroko Tetsuya...?" she murmured to herself.

* * *

><p>The school bell resonated throughout the empty courtyard, signalling the start of the first classes. The second years had long since emptied out of the courtyard, rushing towards their respective classrooms. The first years sat in their own classrooms, waiting impatiently for their teachers to arrive.<p>

In class 1-B, students chattered excitedly, introducing themselves to one another and wondering what their teachers would be like. Kuroko sat in the last row, in the seat farthest to the side, right next to the window. The window was open, letting in a cool spring breeze, which others shivered upon feeling. Kuroko, however, didn't even flinch as he pretended to read his book. Truthfully, he was observing the other students around him. One of his pastimes was human observation and it was especially interesting to inspect people he didn't know. However, unlike the other times, he felt a dark feeling in the pit of his stomach as he observed the students in the classroom. It was this anxious feeling that made him want to hide under his desk. He couldn't comprehend it.

Surveying the occupants of the room, his azure eyes rested upon a certain tall male, seated in front of him. The male was tall, with dark red hair and narrow eyes, with the burning intensity of a wildcat. As much as the sight bothered the other students, it didn't affect Kuroko. Despite the scary expression the other boy had, Kuroko only felt what he had felt for the other people, which he dismissed as indifference. Kuroko admitted that he felt a spark of interest in the red-head. His body structure and height were advantageous in basketball. He wondered whether the boy played.

Recalling the events of this morning, Kuroko felt a pang of guilt. Instead of giving in his club application form like he should have, he had thrown the form into the trash can and ran away. Now, in his pensive mood, he could see how irrational he had been at the time. He wasn't one to break promises, and he should not have tried to pull out in that way. His promise was the one thing pushing him forward, so he shouldn't try to resist it. What was making him resist in the first place? What was it that had caused him to hesitate? He knew that it had something to do with that strange feeling. A jumble of words came to his mind but none of them fit the description. What was it?

The sound of the door opening grabbed his attention. The chatter died down and students scrambled to sit down. A woman walked in, a pile of books in her hand. She was different from the teachers in Teikō who always had severe expressions on their faces. Due to the high academic level at Teikō, teachers were extremely strict there. On the other hand, this teacher seemed more mellow and kindly. After introducing herself in an enthusiastic voice, she asked each of them to introduce themselves in turn. She started at the other side of the room, moving up the columns of students.

Kuroko wasn't interested and wasn't really paying attention to the other students. The only person that he was curious about was the tall red-head in front of him. When the red-head's turn came, Kuroko tuned in, a small glint in his azure eyes.

The red-head stood, and introduced himself in a gruff voice. "Kagami Taiga. I came from a middle school in America." Kagami slumped back into his seat, that glare never leaving his face. It was as if that expression got stuck on his face.

It was Kuroko's turn next, but when he made to stand up, the teacher turned around to start the lesson. Kuroko rolled his eyes, inwardly sighing. It wasn't a rare occurence but it was annoying all the same.

"Excuse me," he called to the teacher, standing up. "I haven't introduced myself."

Of course, he had anticipated their reactions. Everyone in the room shrieked and the teacher dropped the piece of chalk in her hand. Some students murmured, incredulous expressions on their faces. Kuroko kept his poker face, although he did feel an inkling of amusement from their reactions.

"Oh, I-I'm sorry," the teacher stammered out, her expression flustered. "Please, introduce yourself."

"I am Kuroko Tetsuya, from Teikō Middle School. Please take care of me from now on," Kuroko said, his tone lacking emotion. He seated himself, picking up his book once more and pretending to read. Students eyed him from all corners of the room, but he knew they would forget him soon enough. From behind his book, he could see Kagami staring at him, as if he were a ghost. Kuroko hid a smile and stared at the page of his book, not really processing anything. That was the first time he saw Kagami without a glare on his face.

"O-Ok, let's start the class!" the teacher said with wavering eagerness.

* * *

><p>Later on in the week, the basketball try-outs were held. The gym wasn't packed or anything, in fact, there were only a handful of students applying for the club. Aida suppressed a sigh as she walked into the gym, observing the scene. Lined up in the center of the gym were the first years, whilst the second years stood scattered all over the gym. Confidently, she strutted over to the first years, a slight grin on her face.<p>

"Looks like everyone's here," she called out to them. "I'm the boy's basketball coach, Aida Riko! Nice to meet you!" This evoked many gasps and disbelieving looks. Aida grinned, crossing her arms in front of her.

"Wasn't the coach that guy over there?" one of the first years asked, pointing to the man on the sidelines.

"Oh, that's the advisor, Takeda-sensei," Aida smiled, introducing the man politely. The first years exchanged sceptical looks, looking to the second years for conformation. Hyūga nodded, smiling slightly. It wasn't an unexpected reaction, as it was rare for another student, and a girl for that, to be a coach.

"Now, that that's settled," Aida mused. "Take off your shirts!"

There was a collective 'what?' at the request, but after some time, the first year boys complied willingly. If she really was who she said she was, why should they refuse?

It was at such a time that Kuroko came to a stop outside the open door, looking in on the try-outs. He had a fresh application form on his hands, nothing unnecessary written on it. He blinked his azure eyes, watching as Aida walked down the line of first years, commenting on their abilities. Her ability to analyze their bodies and figure out their potentials surprised Kuroko. He listened in as Hyūga explained how Aida had come to gain such an ability. It was slightly different from Momoi's abilities which concern analyzing plays and predicting the improvements in them. Kuroko watched, interested, as Aida inspected Kagami.

Aida stared at Kagami, almost drooling. His stats were off the charts and she could barely see his potential. He was full of endless possibilities, and she had been right in thinking that Kagami would be a great asset to the team. She almost started daydreaming about Seirin winning the Inter High and Winter Cup, then the Nationals, with Kagami as their ace. Luckily, Hyūga broke her out of her reverie with his shouting.

Aida inspected her clipboard, checking that she had seen everyone. Frowning slightly, she glanced at the piece of paper underneath. It was that crumpled application form she had picked up at the beginning of the week. As dirty as the thing was, she felt that she would be losing a valuable treasure if she threw the form away. She stared at the name and back at the row of first years. _'So he didn't come after all,' _she thought, dejectedly.

"Okay, then! Let's start practice!" she shouted out, smiling slightly. _'I guess it doesn't matter,' _she thought.

Kuroko was still standing in the doorway. This was the perfect time to go and interrupt, but something kept him frozen in place. If he went inside, these people would be his team. They seemed strong enough, especially with Kagami. They seemed reliable as well. _'Reliable?'_ He jolted at the thought, his eyes widening with realization. His hands started to shake violently and he could feel a choking lump in his throat. That mysterious emotion he had felt filled his heart, making his whole body shake.

_'Of course,'_ he thought, clutching his uniform at the place right above his heart. _'Of course. So that's what it was.'_

Kuroko watched as the team started jogging around the gym as a warmup. None of them noticed him as they passed by the open door.

Kuroko wasn't afraid. No, he was absolutely terrified. This wasn't about the Generation of Miracles. As much as he feared them as they were now, he wasn't shaking because of them. He wasn't afraid of them. It was something else, something greater than that.

_'Team.'_ The words brought to mind the times he had spent with the Generation of Miracles. All of those perfect, peaceful memories they gave him warmed his heart. Then, he remembered how their team had broken apart, how their connections shattered into pieces right before his eyes. He remembered how they had stabbed him in the back, betrayed him, and thrown him away, like a useless toy.

The fear he was feeling wasn't because of the Generation of Miracles. It was simpler than that, more vague.

He was afraid of being betrayed. He was afraid of being hurt. He was afraid of being left to fend for himself. Just as he was now. He couldn't trust anyone. He couldn't confide in anyone. He couldn't look at these people without thinking that they would betray him. He had been naïve before, now he was paranoid.

_'Yes, that's it,' _he thought to himself. He couldn't trust anyone, because he believed they would hurt him. He sincerely believed that. No matter how much sense he tried to knock into himself, he couldn't rid of the thought. It haunted him and darkened his thoughts. Slowly, it took possession of his mind, breaking his will into tiny fragments, so much that he couldn't pick it up anymore.

_'I am completely and utterly alone,' _he thought, ripping the form in his hand into small pieces. He moved away to throw the pieces into a trash can. The pieces fluttered into the depths, disappearing under other pieces of trash. No one would find it. No one could piece it back together.

This was the parting gift that the Generation of Miracles had given him. No matter how much he wanted to walk into that gym, he could only watch from afar. His fear would always pull him back, and keep him in his place. He would never understand. He could never cure his fears. He could never conquer them.

No one was there to help him. No one was there to support him, to look out for him. Humans are incapable beings without support. He was incapable. He was beyond anyone's reach.

Kuroko turned around and walked away.

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>Kuroko no Basuke rightfully belongs to Fujimaki Tadatoshi. The characters in this story do not belong to me. I only own this piece itself and the plotline. Any similar works are purely coincidental.

**Author's Note: **Thank you for reading this chapter! Thanks to all those people who reviewed, liked and followed the last chapter! A special thanks goes out to **TheWriter222** for that detailed review. Thank you for taking your time to write such a long review! Your points were very helpful!

I'm sorry that I couldn't throw the Miracles into this chapter, but I think this chapter is vital for events later on. As you can see, I made Kuroko quite OOC, so I apologize for that. I promise that one of the Miracles will be in the next chapter, and its pretty easy to guess which one.

I would also like to say beforehand that updates will be slower from now on. I was only able to update quickly because I am on break this week, however, from next week onwards, I have school...

Since that's said and done, I hope you liked this chapter! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask! Thanks again for reading!


	3. Chapter 2- The Best in Japan

**Chapter 2 : "The Best in Japan"**

The incessant pattering of raindrops against the roof echoed around the gym loudly. The dark gray sky, accompanied by the black wisps of storm clouds, was visible from outside the open door. Aida was gazing at the melancholy scenery, stopping only to glance over her shoulder at the boys milling around behind her. Hyuga approached Aida, peeking to see the sombre conditions.

"What should we do, coach?" he asked, facing Aida. "We can't go outside to do road work in this weather."

Aida considered her options before spinning to inspect the first and second years. "I guess this is a good opportunity," she muttered to herself. In a louder voice, she announced to the loitering boys. "Alright, we're going to have a 5 on 5 mini-game between the first and second years!"

The second years remained calm, however the first years displayed astonishment. "What?!" one of the first years, Kawahara Koichi, shouted. "A match against the second years?!"

"Remember what they told us?" another first year, Furihata Kouki piped up. "Last year, the Seirin team got into the finals with only freshmen!"

This elicited a few groans of deterrence and mutters of incredulity. The only freshman who didn't speak was Kagami who, upon understanding the strength of his upperclassmen, grinned. "Hey!" he called out, causing the first years to turn towards him. "Isn't it better if our opponents are strong? That way, it's more interesting."

Kagami's words motivated the other freshmen somewhat and they took their positions on the court. Kagami took a stance in the center of the court for the tip-off, his eyes burning with interest. Mitobe, the tallest of the second years, stood opposite him, with his usual calamity.

Aida blew her whistle, simultaneously throwing the ball up into the air, marking the start of the game. Kagami jumped higher than Mitobe and tapped the ball towards Kawahara, who caught it with ease. Kawahara passed the ball back to Kagami, who had taken the opportunity to run towards their opponent's hoop. Kagami caught the ball with one hand and jumped an incredible height, dunking the ball into the hoop. The force of Kagami's dunk sent vibrations through the hoop, and as he dropped down, the hoop bounded back into place. A satisfied smirk graced Kagami's face. Freshmen and upperclassmen alike looked on in awe, before the first years broke into excited chattering.

"That was unbelievable," Fukuda Hiroshi muttered to his freshmen companions. They all nodded in agreement, staring at Kagami with wonder.

"Hey, don't you think he's on par with the Generation of Miracles?" Furihata asked eagerly. The second years who were listening in gazed over at Kagami. Aida, too, heard the comment and reanalysed Kagami. She agreed that his monstrous bodily proportions and his amazing jumping abilities could be on par with the Generation of Miracles. It was a comment worth considering.

Kagami turned to face them, a small frown replacing his smirk. "Uh, I've been wondering," he started, rubbing the back of his neck as if in embarrassment. "What are these 'Generation of Miracles' that I've heard about?" He blinked as no response came and he wondered if he had said something wrong. He did not expect that moments later, they would all scream in shock at his supposed ignorance.

"You don't know the Generation of Miracles?!" they all shouted in unison, unable to register that piece of information. Their question caused Kagami to become washed over with irritation.

"Yeah! I don't know, okay?!" Kagami retorted, growling under his breath. Maybe he shouldn't have asked after all, but his curiosity had possessed him. From the bits of conversation that he had heard, these 'Generation of Miracles' were strong, as in, strong enough to become widely acknowledged. The idea of having strong opponents kindled the flame of determination in him. That was, if they were actually strong.

Hyuga, being the captain, opened his mouth as if to explain but Aida interrupted before he could say anything. "Hey!" she called, frowning angrily. "We're in the middle of a game, you know! What are you all waiting for?" With that, she blew her whistle.

Taking this as a sign to recommence the match, Izuki took possession of the ball. "Let's not get distracted," he muttered to Hyuga, smiling slightly. Hyuga nodded in agreement.

In the end, despite Kagami's destructive dunks, the freshmen lost. Halfway through, the second years decided to double team Kagami, preventing him from even touching the ball. Even so, the second years only won against the freshmen by a narrow margin, due to the freshmen leading in the first half. Kagami, however, was absolutely furious by the fact that he couldn't even touch the ball for the latter half of the game. In his irritated mood, Kagami was like a minefield and no one dared to speak to him after the game ended. However, it was Kagami that approached them.

"So, what are the 'Generation of Miracles'?" he asked, as they were all resting after the mini-game. They all blinked in surprise at the sudden question, having forgotten their conversation earlier on.

"Oh, that," Aida muttered, coming over to stand in front of him. "Let me explain. The Generation of Miracles are a group of five female basketball players, all widely acknowledged prodigies," Aida began. "They all attended Teiko Middle School and, at first, they dominated the courts in the female basketball league. After the female league broke up, they entered and played for the male's league."

Kagami blinked at that. "If they're female, why were they allowed to play in the male's league?" he asked.

"That's just how powerful they are," Hyuga answered darkly. "They won all the matches they played. They took all the championship titles, in both leagues."

Izuki interrupted, a replica of Hyuga's expression on his face. "They are, without fail, the strongest team in the history of Japanese basketball."

Aida almost glared at the two for interrupting her. "They've all gone to separate veteran schools this year and it's almost certain that one of those schools will take the championship title," she continued, her eyes narrowing.

The faces of all the first and second years were the same; dark and apprehensive, almost resigned. Kagami didn't like it. "They're strong, so what?" he blurted out. "It's not like they're unbeatable!" Even as he said it, he knew the answer from the expressions that crossed their faces.

"Kagami," Hyuga said, his face showing defeat. "That's exactly what they are. They're unbeatable. They are the rulers of the court."

* * *

><p>Kagami sauntered around the hallways of the school, hands deep in his pockets, an angry glare on his face. Many cowered as the tall male passed by, although his fierce red gaze wasn't directed at them.<p>

The information he received the other day had bothered him throughout the week. The fact that there were five basketball geniuses in Japan made him elated. After learning that basketball wouldn't be as boring as he thought, with these Generation of Miracles, he hadn't been able to sleep from excitement. A rush of adrenaline coursed through his blood every time he thought about them.

Yet, he felt shaky at the thought. The expressions on the faces of his upperclassmen had been unnerving. Although he heard that none of his upperclassmen had faced the Generation of Miracles before, they still seemed defeated by them. He was thankful that there was strong competition in Japan, but the emotions that had shown on his team mate's faces had drawn out a different feeling in him. Something akin to rage.

Kagami was so deep in his thoughts that he almost ran into Hyuga. Blinking, Kagami felt shocked for a moment, but he remembered his manners.

"Ah, hello sempai," he greeted, as politely as he could, which wasn't really that polite. He momentarily forgot about his rage and the determination returned, which caused him to speak up. "I was wondering, when can I play in a match?"

Hyuga frowned at the question. "But, Kagami, you can't play yet. You're still a trial member."

The words were like a sharp slap. Kagami promptly turned and dashed away, ignoring Hyuga's calls from behind him. Like a tiger, Kagami leapt up the stairs to the second floor and towards the classroom which his coach resided in. He dragged the door open and slammed his fists against Aida's desk. "Coach!" he shouted, scaring her with the sudden invasion.

Now, Kagami didn't really appreciate the fact that he got covered in milk, but there were more important matters to discuss. "Coach, please give me the official application form," he said, having cooled down (literally).

Aida blinked and let out an exhausted sigh. "You scared me," she muttered angrily, digging into her bag to pull out a sheet of paper. "However I do appreciate the fact that you want to join the club." She handed it to Kagami.

Feeling a wave of relief, Kagami turned to leave the room, thanking Aida quickly. He stopped in his tracks when Aida called him back. "Oh, by the way, I'll only accept the form on Monday, 8:40 at the rooftop" she informed him.

Kagami frowned but nodded. He missed the smirk on Aida's face.

* * *

><p>"Fu, fu, fu~, I was waiting for you!" a familiar voice greeted Kagami as he opened the door to the rooftop. He shut the door firmly behind him, red eyes narrowing. It was exactly 8:40 on Monday morning. Aida stood, arms crossed, and a triumphant expression on her face. In front of her stood three of the basketball initiates, assembled in a line.<p>

"Is this a duel or something?" Furihata whispered to his two companions. Neither responded.

Kagami strutted over to Aida, red eyes burning with fire. "I had completely forgotten it before, but...the morning assembly starts in 5 minutes!" he raised his voice, laced with fury. He didn't understand what Aida was playing at, calling them up here, but since this was the designated time, he had come.

"Here," Kagami shoved out his form gruffly. "Hurry up and take it." Despite Kagami's behaviour, Aida remained indifferent.

"I'll take them," she answered cooly. "But before that, you have to take this test." The first year trio turned to each other, incredulous expressions on their faces. Kagami glared at Aida, his eyes challenging.

Aida smiled, seeing that there were no complaints so far. "Last year, I agreed to coach the basketball team because of their determination. We're aiming to get into the nationals! That's why I won't accept people with half-hearted determination! If you aren't serious, there are plenty of other clubs out there!"

Kagami blinked, surprised. "But we're-"

"I know you're strong," Aida interrupted, brown eyes shining. "But I'm looking for something more important. I can't have you thinking about 'someday' or 'somehow', I need you to have a concrete goal and to meet it! That's why you're going to shout your name, class, number and your goal for this year! If you can't I'll have you come back up here and confess, naked." She relished in the indignant expressions of the first years standing before her. "All of the upperclassmen did it last year," she added.

Kagami chuckled and stepped forward, smirking. "Alright, then," he said, as he jumped on top of the railing around the rooftop in one swift motion.

In that instant, right before Kagami was about to speak, a certain blunette in the courtyard below, looked upwards. The glare of the sunlight blinded him and all he could see was a large shadow above. Seeing that it was not a work of nature, he stared at the figure that stood majestically in the burning sunlight. Then he heard a familiar voice; a voice filled with determination with an underlying growl to it, the voice of a ferocious tiger.

"CLASS 1-B, KAGAMI TAIGA!" the voice announced. It came from the large figure above. The people around Kuroko glanced up, some shadowing their eyes from the sunlight for a better look. A few knowing second years giggled, remembering last year's incident.

"I WILL BEAT THE GENERATION OF MIRACLES AND BECOME THE BEST IN JAPAN!" Kagami continued, his shouts echoing.

Kuroko's eyes widened at the announcement, a shocked feeling settling in. The words rung in his ears continuously as he watched that figure, basking in the blinding sunlight. It was at that moment that Kuroko felt as if Kagami was a light, burning in the distance, waiting for him. The sight seemed to beckon to him, drawing him in, but the fear tightened its grasp once more. His fears which he could never defeat. Despite knowing that, those words that Kagami shouted kindled a fire in him; the fiery tenacity that he had lacked. He felt braver.

Kuroko now understood that Kagami held all his missing pieces. Kuroko didn't have any determination or courage, but Kagami had it. They shared the same goals, although their motives were completely different. Either way, it was plain to see that Kagami was the solution to all his problems. Kuroko and Kagami were compatible in that way...but did it matter anymore?

Kuroko was too afraid, too frightened to take the first step. Even if Kagami was in the picture, nothing changed. Kuroko was incapable of doing anything, as long as he kept running away.

Why was he trying to beat the Generation of Miracles again? What was he trying to do? He didn't even know anymore. All he felt was an obligation to carry out his promise, but even that wasn't strong enough to keep him going. Why was he struggling? What had he been fighting for? Even if he remembered, he didn't feel anything. Nothing but fear and cowardice existed in his heart and neither motivated him in any way. What was he doing again?

The mutters around him faded into the distance. Kuroko looked downwards, turning his head away from the sun, away from the unbearable light.

Ever since he was a child, he had always let fear take possession of him. His fear of being ignored had led him to trust too easily. Now, his fear of being betrayed kept him from trusting people, even talking to people. His fears always won. They were the victors in his life, always rising triumphantly after struggling with his will. At least those times he had struggled to do something. However, this time, he couldn't fight it anymore. This time, there was no struggle. He gave up. It was an inevitable occurence, so he simply gave up.

Kuroko turned his back to the light, the light that could help him, the light that could guide him. He stared at the shadow lengthening before him. He felt slightly better.

* * *

><p>The boy's locker room was bustling with activity as team members changed for practice. The atmosphere was cheery and light, although the boys were preparing for another hellish practice, which meant certain death. Suddenly, the door of the locker room opened and an eager voice reached their ears.<p>

"The coach has returned! It seems as though the negotiations went well!" Kawahara announced.

Hyuga grinned at the announcement. "Sounds great. I wonder who our opponents are," he considered all the eligible teams that they could play against, wondering which one Aida had gone to.

Kawahara contemplated for a moment then added. "Well, she was skipping...does that count for something?"

Hyuga dropped the bag he had clutched in his hand. He gulped, the atmosphere darkening as if a cloud had descended upon them. "This is bad," he muttered darkly. "If coach is skipping, that means she's gotten her hands on a really strong team. Be prepared." He directed the last words to the first years, who could barely breath from the choking aura.

They exited the locker rooms as if in a funeral procession. Kagami was the only one who looked happy by the news, grinning his head off. If the coach had arranged a practice match with a strong team, he would be thankful. He needed somewhere to burn off all this extra energy he had obtained after learning about the Generation of Miracles. He acted like an ADHD patient, twitching all the time.

Aida was waiting for them, hands on her hips and a satisfied smile on her face. The smile did nothing to lift the mood, but only made it worse. "I'm back!" she called cheerily like a little child, waving her hands as if to emphasize the point.

The Seirin team gathered in front of Aida, waiting for the bomb to drop. Once they were all lined up, a more serious expression formed on Aida's face. "Listen up!" she shouted causing the first year trio to flinch at the increase in volume.

"I was able to arrange the practice match for Friday," Aida paused as if for effect. "And your opponents are Kaijo High!"

"Kaijo?" Hyuga asked, eyes widening.

"Yup!" Aida confirmed happily. "They're won't disappoint us as an opponent. We'll be using the first years too."

"Are they strong?" Fukuda called from the back of the group.

Hyuga turned and answered shortly. "They're on the national level and they take part in the Inter-High tournament practically every year."

"And more importantly," Aida interrupted, glancing pointedly at Kagami. "This year, Kaijo was able to get one of the Generation of Miracles, Kise Ryouka." A soft thump could be heard but no one thought much of it. "We might end up going against her. I'm sure that the Kaijo basketball team was willing to make exceptions for her."

Kagami looked blankly at them for a second before breaking into a grin. He said nothing, but everyone could feel the excitement wafting off of him like an infectious disease. All at once, the rest of the Seirin team began to feel pumped up too. A wave of adrenaline coursed through them as Aida clapped her hands once. "Now, then, let's start practice!" she called out to them.

Of course, no one noticed the teal-haired boy who was sitting absent-mindedly on the stage on the side of the gym. Somehow he had ended up there, driven by his wish to see the inside of the gym. Since it hadn't been occupied, he had been able to enter without difficulties. This was the only time he could enter the gym without freezing up. For once, he wanted to actually see the court, see the hoops on either side, and relive those painful moments in his life. His punishment for being a coward.

He had not imagined that he would end up overhearing their conversation. They didn't notice him, even when he dropped his bag to the floor, the books spilling out. His mouth was dry and had a coppery taste. His throat felt clogged up, and he found it difficult to breathe normally. All because of that one name.

"Kise...san...," he murmured, azure eyes shutting against reality. Still, no one noticed him.

* * *

><p>In Kise Ryouka's eyes, school was mundane. She still couldn't understand why it was an obligation to sit for six hours in a straight-backed chair, listening to teachers talk about things no one valued in life. Honestly, she could be doing something useful; earning money through her modelling job, practicing basketball, anything really.<p>

Kise doodled in her notebook, staring at the clock that hung above the chalkboard in the front of the room. The seconds hand ticked along sluggishly. There were ten minutes left of classes for the day, which was ten minutes too much. For once, Kise wanted to go to basketball practice.

That was untrue. Despite her team mates looking down on her since she was a girl, she did want to practice basketball. After all, basketball was more interesting now that she was in high school. Since the Generation of Miracles had gone their separate ways, there was intense competition waiting for her on the court. They, all five of them, were well aware of the fact that one of the schools they attended would rise to victory. Her aim was to bring Kaijo High to that point, not only because she wanted to bring victory to her school, but she wanted to prove that she was the best. Although she was the rookie of the Generation of Miracles, she had talent and plenty of potential. That was why she wanted to practice; to surpass the other Miracles and claim the title of strongest.

Then, there was another reason. An unspoken agreement that the Miracles had made on their last day of school.

The image of the teal-headed boy rose in her thoughts and the tip of her pencil cracked, the lead rolling away. Kise put the pencil down for fear of snapping it in two. The very thought of the boy infuriated her. First he left them, then he returned, only to ignore them and run away again. It was not that she hated the boy, but his indecision irritated her. She wanted answers; answers to questions she had formed in the past.

She almost mussed her hair up in frustration. Questions continued to form in her mind, giving her a headache. Biting her bottom lip, she picked another pencil up and continued to vandalize her notebook with renewed vigour. It was the only thing that kept her from thinking.

Presently, the bell signalling the end of classes rang and Kise sighed with relief. Once the teacher had left, a mass of students surrounded her desk, asking her out to karaoke or shopping. It took a while to discourage them whilst spouting things like 'maybe next time' or 'today's not a good day.' She had basketball practice afterwards, which she was already late to, courtesy of her classmates. She nudged her way out of the classroom and ran down the staircase, knowing that otherwise she would be stopped again. When she arrived at Kaijo's gym, she was five minutes late.

"Hello!" she greeted airily, waving to her teammates that were already warming up in the gym. She turned to head towards the girl's locker rooms when she felt a sharp slap against her head. She winced and looked over her shoulder, only to see her captain, Kasamatsu Yukio, glaring crossly at her.

"Ouch," Kise muttered, rubbing the back of her head, although it hadn't hurt much.

"Don't just come traipsing in here and say 'hello' to me!" Kasamatsu snapped, anger in his eyes. "You might be a girl and you may have been a part of the Generation of Miracles but that doesn't mean you can arrive to practice late and pretend like it's nothing!"

Kise giggled at the treatment she was being given. Despite her captain's violent approach, she didn't mind because she appreciated that he didn't look down on her. Most of the team members either belittled her or idolized her, but all she wanted was them to treat her the same. She agreed that she may have been part of the Generation of Miracles but even then she was the worst out of the bunch. That was why she valued the fact that Kasamatsu looked at her as an individual and a part of the Kaijo Team.

"I'm sorry," she answered formally. "It will not happen again."

Kasamatsu blinked at her formality and let out a gruff sigh. "Fine! Now what are you waiting for? Hurry up and get changed!"

Kise flashed a grin and dashed away, returning a minute later, fully changed. It was a regular thing for her to change quickly, a trick she had picked up in middle school. After all, she had never liked running an excessive amount of laps for being late.

The team had already finished warming up and were now stretching. Kasamatsu shouted towards her. "Come on! Go warm up!"

Kise nodded, tying her blond hair into a pony-tail and starting her laps. When she finished her last lap, the coach entered and called them all to gather around. She ran over, hair flying behind her and golden eyes shining with anticipation.

"Everyone here?" the coach, Takeuchi Genta, asked Kasamatsu who nodded in response.

"Alright. I've arranged a practice match for you this Friday against Seirin High," the coach went straight to the point. "They aren't exceptionally good, from what I know, but don't slack off practice, understand?"

Many nods came from the gathered team members. Kise nodded eagerly, grinning. Although Seirin probably wasn't strong, at least she finally got a chance to test the improvements in her skills. She started fidgeting like an excited puppy.

"Who will be playing?" Kasamatsu asked, turning to the coach.

The coach contemplated for a moment before answering. "I guess we'll be using the regulars," he answered. Kise's eyes gleamed with joy. She was one of the regulars, although she hadn't participated in a match yet. To think that she would finally be able to play, even if it was a practice match against a no name team, she felt thrilled.

"Will I play?!" she blurted out, eyes shining. She really resembled a puppy now. A few of the team members snorted at her remark. Others could almost see the puppy ears and tail on Kise and tried not to chuckle.

The coach ignored her and Kasamatsu frowned. "Shut up, Kise," he growled, effectively deterring Kise.

"If you understand, then go practice!" the coach ordered in his hoarse voice and the team members ran off to practice. Kise, in her dejected state, was about to run off when the coach called her back.

"Yes?" she asked politely, an eyebrow raised in question.

"For the game," the coach started, making Kise eager again. "You'll be on the bench."

Kise stared at her coach, disbelief on her face. She gaped before asking. "Why?! I'm perfectly capable of playing! Why do I have to sit on the bench?"

The coach looked irritated. "We can't use you for something so little as a practice match. If Seirin proves themselves strong enough to handle you, I'll put you on. Otherwise, it'll be a waste."

Kise's golden eyes widened at the explanation. For a few seconds she was silent, until she muttered to herself. "And here I was thinking that you were all looking down on me." The words escaped the coach's ears but another person picked it up. He clucked his tongue in irritation. Kasamatsu punched Kise's arm playfully, a look of both irritation and amusement on his face.

"Seriously, Kise?" he asked, grinning. "If we really looked down on you, you wouldn't be on this team. We put you on the boy's basketball team for a reason."

Kise stared at her captain, a small smile forming on her face. She remembered how on the day of the try-outs, the other initiates had looked at her with scorn. Even some of the team members had looked at her that way. Only Kasamatsu remained indifferent. When Kise's superior attitude showed, Kasamatsu had cooled her down, and treated her exactly how she wanted; as a normal team member. She learned to respect and like her captain for that.

She nodded slowly, grinning now. "Okay," she replied, turning to her captain and coach. "Thank you."

"If you get it, hurry up and practice!" Kasamatsu scowled, although he was suppressing a smile. Kise ran off, with renewed energy.

_'I wasn't wrong in choosing Kaijo,' _she thought as she ran to the rest of the team members who were already practicing. For a moment, she forgot about middle school, about the Generation of Miracles, about the teal-haired boy, and smiled genuinely.

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>Kuroko no Basuke rightfully belongs to Fujimaki Tadatoshi. The characters in this story do not belong to me. I only own this piece itself and the plotline. Any similar works are purely coincidental.

**Author's Note: **Whew, that was a difficult chapter to write. I wrote half of the chapter then realized I was missing a few key events so I had to rewrite everything... (intelligent, I know)

Thank you to all those who reviewed, liked and followed after the second chapter! I really enjoy reading your reviews and getting your support! Thank you! Special thanks to Mona who wrote a long review! Thank you for the reassurance!

There was a lot of screen time for Kagami in this chapter! Not much of Kuroko in this chapter but he will make a much bigger appearance next chapter! Watch out for the next chapter because Kuroko isn't going to miss out on the practice match...now, I have to go figure out how to write a good basketball match...

Thank you again for reading! If you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask!


	4. Chapter 3- This Time

**Chapter 3 : "This Time..."**

Kise stalked over to the front gate of Kaijo High School, her golden eyes searching for a certain group of people with interest. Her golden eyes glinted when she caught sight of the mass of people just inside the front gate. Kise's pace quickened as she ran over to them, waving her hand high above her head.

"Hello!" she called cheerfully, her signature smile on her face. "You're from Seirin, right? I'm here to take you to the gym!"

Her voice grabbed their attention and the mass of people turned to face her as one. The effect was immediate as gasps of shock emitted from the group of boys. Kise skidded to a halt in front of the group, her eyes focused on the female brunette that stood at the front.

"You're the manager-san, right?" Kise asked, tilting her head in a questioning gesture.

Aida felt irritation at the question, but simply let out a sigh. The question wasn't uncommon, in fact, it was something people usually asked. "No, I'm the coach of Seirin's basketball team, Aida Riko! Nice to meet you!" The last sentence was a lie; she most certainly had not wanted to meet this blond model this early on. Aida had expected to meet Kise on the court, but certainly not now.

Kise smiled and held out her hand. "I'm Kise Ryouka! Nice to meet you too!" her cheerful voice did not waver as she said this, despite the fact that she didn't mean a bit of it. Kise turned to glance over the boys that stood behind the brunette, none of them striking her as special. Her eyes briefly stopped on the tall figure of a red-headed male who stood off to the side of the group and was grinning in her direction. Kise could almost feel the tense excitement washing off of him.

"So, you're Kise Ryouka, huh?" the red-head stated, chuckling slightly. "To think someone like you is one of the Generation of Miracles."

Kise frowned at the statement. _'Is he looking down on us?' _she thought to herself. "Might I ask what your name is?" she retorted, feeling a slight itch of irritation.

"The name's Kagami. Kagami Taiga." the red-head replied.

"Never heard of you," Kise replied cooly, crossing her arms over her chest.

Kagami only shook his head at the statement, letting out a soft chuckle. "Well, remember it!" he ordered. "Because I'm going to take you and the Generation of Miracles down!" Aida and the rest of the Seirin team gasped at the sudden declaration.

Hyuga slapped his hand to his forehead. _'This guy is so stupid. We should call him Bakagami,' _he thought to himself.

Kise, however, reacted differently. Her eyes brightened at the words and she grinned challengingly. "I hope you're not just words. You better be good," she told him, her grin replaced with a superior smirk.

Kagami grinned back to her, running a hand through his red hair. "As if," he spat back. Luckily the conversation ended there and Kise lead the Seirin team towards the Kaijo gym. Her eyes scanned the group of boys over her shoulder, but her eyes kept going back to Kagami. A rush of adrenaline filled her veins as she thought about the upcoming match. Maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't be as boring as she had thought. The strange group continued to walk on in silence, Kise scanning the group from time to time, as if she had missed something.

Kise failed to notice the teal-headed boy trailing hesitantly behind the group.

* * *

><p>"Good afternoon! We're the Seirin basketball team!" Aida called out from the entrance door with vigor.<p>

Kaijo's coach turned to see the mass of people who crowded in the front door, all wearing matching jackets, the word 'Seirin' labelling them. He tried to hold in a sarcastic snicker as he walked over. "Welcome. I'm Takeuchi, Kaijo's coach," he introduced himself formally, scanning the group of players. "May I ask who the coach is?"

Aida perked up and smiled politely. "I'm Seirin's coach, Aida Riko! Please take care of us today!" Her introduction resulted in a contemptuous look from Kaijo's coach, but she chose to ignore it. Aida scanned the gymnasium; it was larger than their own court. A net split the court into two halves, freshmen practicing on one side of the net, the regulars warming up on the other half. Aida raised an eyebrow at the arrangement and turned questioningly to the other coach.

"May I ask," Aida began, trying to keep a calm tenor to her voice. "What is with this arrangement?" she gesticulated widely.

Kaijo's coach blinked at the question and let out an exasperated sigh. "You see, even if the first years watch, there isn't enough for them to learn from this practice match. Therefore I decided that they should continue practice as they normally do," he paused here, as if to let it sink in. Aida's hand clenched into a fist and she was biting her bottom lip to stop herself from screaming.

"Don't worry," Kaijo's coach reassured them. "You'll still be against our regulars. Just don't let them triple your score or anything."

"What about Kise?" Kagami piped up as the Kaijo coach turned to walk away. Takeuchi turned, an incredulous expression on his face.

"Of course, Kise won't play. If that happened, we might quadruple your score." Leaving those words behind, the coach turned away and walked to the bench nearby.

Kise stood smiling haughtily at their side. She turned to face them, her eyes shining with glee. "Well, I guess your dream isn't going to come true any time soon," she directed her words towards Kagami. She laughed, waving goodbye to them as Kasamatsu came over to lead them to the locker rooms.

Irritated, Kagami shouted after the blond female. "Don't underestimate us! We're not weak!" The girl waved over her shoulder, as if to dismiss his words.

As Kasamatsu led the group of boys towards the locker rooms, the Seirin team fumed with anger. Hyuga mumbled incoherently under his breath, an angry expression darkening his face. Izuki who was usually calm and collected was grumbling as well, his black eyes taking on an icy color. The rest of the regulars, with except Mitobe, expressed their anger verbally, complaining to one another as discreetly as possible.

However, Kagami was the most menacing of them all. His red eyes burned with fury and he played with his hands, cracking his knuckles. He growled a mantra of 'I'm going to show them' under his breath. Kagami was usually irritable but the expression he sported now was of rage. Suddenly, the red-head grinned, intimidating everyone around him. It was incomprehensible why the red-head was choking with laughter all of a sudden but nobody dared to ask.

Aida observed the team, suppressing a sigh as she tried to breathe down her irritation. She was just as angry for being underestimated as they all were, but she couldn't give the Kaijo team a beating. She had to leave that to the team. Aida glanced in Kagami's direction and her brown eyes widened a fraction. She smirked and turned away, her heart filling with confidence. It would be soon before Seirin pulled Kaijo off their high horse.

* * *

><p>"Let the match between Seirin High and Kaijo High begin!" The teal-haired boy observed the match from above, his cyan eyes following two distinct figures. He gripped the bars of the railing as his gaze passed over Kise. He shook his head slightly and turned his attention to the court. In the center circle, Kagami and Kobori Koji, the center of Kaijo High, faced each other for the jump ball. Promptly, the whistle blew and the basketball flew up into the air, followed by the two players. Being the taller one, Kobori was able to tip the ball towards his teammates and help Kaijo gain possession.<p>

Kasamatsu caught the ball and calmly began to dribble it. "Let's get one basket first!" he called out to his fellow teammates. He scanned the court before going into a drive. Immediately, Izuki was in front of him, trying to guard him, but the Kaijo captain simply passed to the power forward of the team, Hayakawa Mitsuhiro. Out of luck, Hyuga was able to intercept the ball, and steal it successfully. He passed it to Kagami, who caught it with ease.

"It's a fast break!" Kasamatsu shouted, turning to run to the other side of the court.

Kagami dribbled to Kaijo's basket, practically unchallenged. He jumped, bringing his hand down on to the hoop fiercely, like the claws of a tiger. The impact shook the basket and a strange sound, akin to the cracking of wood, echoed around the court. Kagami fell to his feet, a hard metallic object gripped in his hand, which he was ignorant to. He let out a feral shout, but only silence answered him. Kagami frowned, blinking his red eyes with surprise. All eyes were on his hand and Kagami glanced in the same direction, letting out a shout of shock.

"BAKAGAMI!" Hyuga shouted from half court. "You broke the hoop!"

Kuroko stared at the hoop and back to the backboard, then to Kagami. The situation was unbelievable, inexplicable. He tilted his head to see the blond female on Kaijo's bench, her eyes wide with shock, but with a glint of interest in them. Kuroko shivered slightly. Those eyes. They reminded him of that day. Kuroko looked away to stop himself from shivering.

Izuki walked up to the broken basket. "Woah, one of the bolts rusted. That's dangerous," he commented.

Kasamatsu heard the comment, staring at the scene before him. "Still," Kaijo's captain muttered to nobody in particular. "That isn't normal."

Aida rushed over to Kaijo's bench, where Kaijo's coach sat in anger. "I'm sorry!" she exclaimed with convincing sincerity, although she was actually whooping with glee. "We can't continue to play like this so can we use the full court?"

Kaijo's coach didn't find any other options and complied reluctantly. He narrowed his eyes as he stood up to move away, giving way for the preparations of the court. With his finger, the coach gestured for Kise to come over, immediately causing the blond to bounce over with eagerness.

As the preperations finished, the players stepped on to the court once more. The non-regulars watched from above, none of them noticing the teal-haired boy who stood nearby. Kuroko, too, didn't pay attention to them as he scanned the players on the court. His eyes widened suddenly, with anxiety and fear. His hands began to shake and he gripped the bars of the railing tightly. He neither moved nor spoke; he was frozen stiff with fear.

Kise Ryouka stepped on to the court, her blond hair tied up, and a smirk on her face. She turned to face Kagami, giving him a menacing smile. "Sorry to keep you waiting."

* * *

><p>The game resumed and the vigorous match started. Kasmatsu dribbled the ball with accuracy and speed, whilst Kise shook off Kagami with ease. Kise grinned as she received the ball from Kasamatsu, her hands closing around the rubber surface. She jumped, her right hand arching behind her, her blond hair flying as she rushed through the air. The blond female dunked the ball in, the hoop dragging down by the force of the dunk; almost exactly as Kagami had done it. She fell to her feet, golden eyes shining with glory. She spun to smirk at Kagami who was awestruck.<p>

_'What was that?' _Kagami thought, his red eyes focusing on Kise. _'That was almost exactly like my dunk...no, it was exactly the same. It was a copy, and what's more, the dunk was stronger than mine!'_ Kagami's eyes narrowed and he muttered heatedly under his breath. "So this is the power of the Generation of Miracles." He chuckled to himself, trying to stop himself from giggling. "This is just great."

"Don't worry, I never forget to return the favor," Kise mumbled to Kagami as she ran by. Kagami grinned at the words and turned, his red eyes shining with excitement.

"Let's do this!" he shouted to the rest of the Seirin members, who shouted back in approval.

From Kuroko's view, the breakneck pace of the match was mesmerizing, but completely harsh. The fast switches between offense and defense looked extremely tiring for the players, especially the Seirin team. Kagami, however, seemed to take no notice and continued to execute his plays with vigor. Kuroko bit his lip as he watched Kagami score once more. Kagami didn't realize that the more he played, the bigger their score differences would become. Kise's speciality was to copy other people's plays and make them her own, using her enhanced abilities. Despite Kagami's skills, Kise could do his plays better than he could. This was the trap that Kise created. The more aggressive the other becomes, the better she becomes. To Kuroko, it was obvious, but to the others it was not. Kuroko glanced towards Seirin's coach and saw that she was talking to the officials. Kuroko felt relieved that one of them had come to that conclusion.

The whistle blew loudly as Kise scored again. "Seirin, time out!"

The Seirin and Kaijo players returned to their respective benches, all of them drenched in sweat and panting with the lack of air. Aida surveyed her team members, brown eyes widening with distress. Although the game had started only five minutes ago, the players were already worn out; almost at their limits. The high pace was unendurable, and soon Kaijo would take the lead. The most she could do was to prevent Kise from taking anymore points.

For a while nobody spoke, until Aida muttered under her breath. "Maybe we should double team Kise."

Kagami glanced upwards, incredulity showing in his eyes. "What, no!" he asked in a loud voice. "I can handle it!"

Aida shook her head, chewing the inside of her cheek. "I'm not doubting your abilities, Kagami, but our priority is to stop Kise from scoring. We'll change from man-to-man to zone defense."

Hyuga nodded in understanding. At that moment, the whistle blew to signal the start of the game. Aida blinked and became flustered from the lack of time. She opened her mouth but the Seirin players had already left the bench and gone on to the court. Frantically, she tried to call out to them, but she was out of their ears' reach.

Seirin started in possession, Kagami leading the offence. He took the ball and dunked it with full force, the hoop rattling with the power. Kise, who stood close by grinned slyly. She ran a hand through her locks of blond hair, wiping the sweat of her brow with her arm. Once Kajo was in possession, Kise copied Kagami, increasing the speed and power of the play. Kagami attempted to stop the female but she surpassed him in her agility. Kuroko watched, his teal eyes examining the extremely fast-paced plays. Kuroko chewed his lip as he glanced towards Aida on the bench. He had thought that the Seirin coach had understood. It seemed as though she actually hadn't or she had been unable to mention it. Either way, it didn't matter. As long as Kagami played offence, Seirin was helpless. The score difference would simply continue to grow.

Kuroko watched as Kise successfully blocked Kagami's shot. She drove the ball up the court, copying the red-head's exact movements and scoring. Kuroko glanced at the score board. Although it had been a steady repetition of shoot, score, shoot, score between the two teams, the Kaijo team was a few points ahead. Kuroko tapped the bar of the railing with his fingers. If the two teams were at equal standing with tactics, it really came down to their power and stamina. Even though Kuroko possessed no scan abilities, it was painfully obvious who was the more dominant team.

A sharp sound echoed around the room as the first quarter ended. Kaijo was in the lead, with about a five point difference. Aida watched pitifully as the five players returned to the bench. They were all red from the intense plays and they were sweating buckets. Kagami stared at Kise on the other bench who was humming quietly to herself, her eyes shining. She acted like this was all nothing, as if she didn't even break a sweat. It irritated Kagami even more. In that instant, Kagami wanted to return to the court and beat that girl to pulp. The question wasn't whether he would be allowed to or not, but more of whether he was capable of doing it. He began to doubt himself for the first time.

Aida tapped her lips with her finger. "Kagami, you do realize that as long as you keep scoring, Kise will copy you?" she asked, quietly.

Kagami glanced up from his seat, his eyes narrowing.

"You do also realize that although you can't stop her, she can stop you?" Aida added. "If that's the case, we will definitely lose."

Kagami jumped up, his hands clenched into fists. "I can do it! I can stop her!" he insisted, his red eyes burning with fire. "Let me continue marking her...uh, please."

Aida narrowed her eyes, almost sadly. "I don't know if I can trust you to stop her. You're already tired and running out of stamina, and the difference in strength is simply too big. It's practically impossible."

The look in Aida's eyes made rage run through him. "I will stop her. I promise. So, please," Kagami muttered, his eyes pleading for the first time. The rest of the team blinked at Kagami's insistence with astonishment. Somehow, the look in his eyes reassured them.

"Alright," Aida gave in. "But if you break that promise..." the sentence ended with an unspoken threat.

Kagami simply grinned in response and returned to the court, adrenaline coursing through him. He glanced at Kise and their eyes met. They both smirked simultaneously.

Kaijo started with the ball, with Kasamatsu handling. The Kaijo captain dribbled the ball until Izuki moved to block him. Kasamatsu passed to Kise quickly, and the blond player caught the ball. She dashed over to Seirin's basket and jumped to shoot, but before she could release the ball, Kagami had slapped it out of her hands. Kise's eyes widened as she turned to glance at the red-haired player standing behind her. Hyuga caught the ball and threw it to Izuki to continue the game. However, Kise and Kagami were at a standstill, glaring at each other. Kise started to snigger, golden fire in her eyes.

"Looks like you aren't that weak after all," she almost spat, her eyes darkening. "I might actually start playing for real."

Kagami smirked in response. "Bring it on," he challenged.

The game continued at the same pace. Kise and Kagami were the center of attention, with their ferocious one-on-ones. It seemed as though Kagami was playing on Kise's level now. Now it was proven that the girl wasn't entirely unstoppable.

Kise's irritation began to show in her movements. She became more reckless, more frustrated. She chewed her bottom lip, glancing at the scoreboard. There were about three minutes left. Although Kagami was capable of stopping her, the red-head was still unable to stop all of her shots, however she was capable of stopping most of his. The difference in the score was about ten points. "I guess I'll play seriously now," Kise muttered quietly, an intimidating, happy expression on her face.

When Kaijo stole the ball, Kise received the ball. She drove it up the court, seeing Kagami up ahead, as if waiting for her. Kise increased her speed, practically charging towards the red-head. When she reached him, she jumped, moving to dunk the ball in the air. Kagami had jumped at the same time, his hand latched on the other side of the ball. Kise narrowed her eyes, her lips thinning into a smile.

"You really aren't as strong as you think Kagami." she stated as she drove her strength into the dunk and forced the ball into the hoop. Kagami's eyes widened as they fell to the ground. He stared at the girl standing opposite him, her eyes glinting softly.

The match continued. Kagami, despite his attempts, was unable to stop Kise. From above, it looked like a one-sided battle. Kuroko's eyes widened as he watched Kise. Something was wrong. Something had _changed._ This wasn't the original Kise. This wasn't the Kise he had first met, or the changed Kise. No, this was more different. The female that was playing on that court was completely different. It was someone Kuroko didn't know, had never known.

The second quarter ended dramatically. Kise grinned as she stared at Kagami. She glanced over at the scoreboard, already knowing that Kaijo would be leading by a drastic amount. "Well, looks like you won't win today," she commented lightly. "In fact, I don't think you'll be winning any time soon. Do me a favor and forget your dreams. You're not going to beat the Generation of Miracles, no matter how hard you try. After all, if you can't even beat _me_, you don't stand a chance against the rest."

* * *

><p>Kuroko stared, his hands painfully gripping the railing in front of him. The skin stretched over his knuckles, paling with pressure. The teal head bit his bottom lip as he watched Kise leave the court. The blond girl was grinning proudly, her golden eyes scanning the devastated Seirin team that were resting on the bench nearby. Kuroko saw the gleam in her golden eyes, bright with the ferocity he had last seen when the Miracles had confronted him.<p>

Kuroko jolted with realization, the color draining from his face. His hands shook, causing the railing to shake slightly. All it took was one movement, a small tilt of the head, for Kise to see Kuroko. Despite Kuroko's lack of presence, his shaky behavior at present easily attracted attention and the look in Kise's eyes gave him the feeling that nothing would go unseen in that golden gaze. Kuroko pushed himself away from the railing, making a large rattling sound. Without turning to see if anyone noticed him, Kuroko ran out the side door and down the stairs, dashing towards the front gate.

Kise glanced upwards upon hearing the squeak of the railings above. She pushed back her blond bangs that covered her sight but she saw an unmistakable flash of teal hair. She stood, almost flipping the bench over in her haste.

"Hey!" Kasamatsu protested as he saw Kise stand up. "What's wrong?"

Kise ignored her captain and began running towards the gym door. She slammed the door open, catching a glimpse of the teal-headed boy up ahead. The Kaijo team called her back but Kise had more important matters to handle. Without a hint of hesitation, the blond girl dashed after the teal-head. She was more physically fit, therefore it was only a matter of seconds before she caught up to the boy. She grabbed his shoulder and pushed him against the back wall of the gym.

The look in Kise's eyes sent a shock of shivers down Kuroko's spine. Those golden eyes were cold with a ferocious darkness to them. The hands that gripped his shoulders were tight and painful. Kuroko struggled to free himself from her grip but to no avail.

"Kurokocchi," Kise muttered, a hurt look flitting across her face. Kuroko stiffened at the expression, his cyan eyes widening a fraction. He unsuccessfully tried to keep his usual demeanour, but the surge of fear in his blood wouldn't go away.

"Ki...se...san" Kuroko gasped out her name, trying to stay calm. His heart beat rapidly in his chest, from fear, from anxiety. The blond stared back at the boy, softening in front of him. Her grip slackened and her eyes took on a warmer color. Slowly, Kuroko's heart slowed to its usual pace, although he could still feel the fear biting at the back of his mind.

Kuroko had not expected Kise to pull him tightly against her. Kuroko blinked with surprise, beginning to struggle again. "Kise-san," he protested, trying to push the blond female away from him.

"Kurokocchi...where have you been?" a low voice growled into his ear. Kuroko flinched at the question; it was the same question the Miracles had asked him last time. He struggled against Kise's hold but she didn't even budge. Kise repeated her question again, and forced Kuroko to look at her. Kuroko had been wrong when he had thought that the girl had softened up. Her features were as harsh as ever, her golden eyes seemed more brown than gold and her face darkened with anger, fury and frustration.

Kuroko refused to answer the question. The fear crept into his blood again, freezing him from the inside. He struggled against his bonds but they only grew tighter. "Please, Kise-san, I-" he began.

"Answer the question!" Kise commanded, pushing Kuroko against the wall. "I need you to tell me! Why did you leave us? Why did you betray us?!"

The teal-haired boy stared at the girl in front of him, eyes widening with shock. "Me...betray...you? What are you talking about?" A nameless emotion began to rush through him, an irrational, uncontrollable feeling. The little strength he had returned to him and he stared into Kise's eyes, almost defiantly as he forgot his fear.

"Why would I-" Kuroko's question was left unfinished when one of the Kaijo first years appeared nearby.

"Kise-san! What are you doing?! Coach told me to come and find you, and..." the first year boy paused, staring at the scene in front of him. Kise's grip had slackened on Kuroko and the teal-head took the opportunity to duck away and run as fast as possible. The situation was frighteningly similar to their other confrontation. Kuroko didn't want to know how it would end. Right now, he focused on getting away.

Kise, having regained her composure, shouted after the teal-headed boy. "Wait!" she screamed, fury in her eyes. "Kurokocchi! Come back!"

The first year stared curiously at the Miracle who sighed and rubbed her eyes. "Um...Kise-san?" the freshman asked quietly. Kise ignored the boy and stalked off, back towards the gymnasium where the third quarter had just started.

A furious coach greeted her as she walked in. "Kise! What were you thinking, running off like that? Luckily we were going to take you out anyways, but-"

"I want to play." Kise stared back at the Kaijo coach. "I'm going to play."

"What are you talking about Kise?! These guys are no match for you!" the coach tried to reason with the female, but Kise simply shook her head, her lips set in a firm line.

"I don't care. I'm going to play, _now._" Kise stated firmly. The coach, sensing Kise's anger, stopped protesting and sighed. He walked over to the officials to arrange a member change. Whilst he was doing so, Kise pulled her yellow phone out of her bag and texted a short message. She put the phone away just as the whistle blew to interrupt the game.

"Kaijo! Member change!" one of the officials announced. Kise stepped on to the court, golden eyes scanning the rest of the players on the court. She swiveled on her axis, gazing at the surprised players. A smirk decorated her beautiful features. _'All so weak...' _she thought to herself, holding in a laugh as the whistle blew.

Aida watched from the bench, analyzing the possibilities and outcomes. There was no doubt about it anymore. With Kise on the court, Seirin didn't stand a chance. Aida closed her eyes against the horrific scene. She didn't want to watch this merciless slaughtering anymore.

* * *

><p>"Hey, Shin-chan! Sounds like you got a text!" Takao Kazunari informed the green-haired female that was fiddling with her can of red bean soup in the back of the rickshaw. The black-haired point guard of Shutoku High leaned back on the seat of his bicycle, taking the opportunity to rest. The greenette tugged out the lime green cell phone from her skirt pocket and flipped it open while she took a sip of her soup. Takao jerked up when he heard a choking cough behind him and he turned to look at the greenette.<p>

"Shin-chan?! Are you okay?" Takao asked, dark eyes widening. He reached out a hand to pat the girl on the back but she pushed it away.

"I'm fine," Midorima mumbled in reply, staring at the screen of her phone. She flipped it closed, before turning her green eyes on Takao. "Now, drive." Midorima ignored the protests that ensued, still thinking about the message she had received. She had to figure out how to hide that wide smile on her face.

_'There you are.'_

The heavily tanned female sat up on the rooftop of Touou Academy, her navy blue eyes widening. She scanned the message another time until she was able to convince herself that it was true. The girl ran a hand through her navy hair, raising a hand to cover her mouth. The girl started to laugh in a maniacal fashion, the deep rumbles in her chest beginning to pain her.

"Ao-chan! There you are!" the voice of her childhood friend, Momoi Satsuki, reached her ears. Yet, Aomine continued to laugh, her eyes shining with a gleam of triumph. Momoi stared at the laughing female with astonishment, wondering what had happened. Momoi didn't ask any questions though, as she had a dark feeling that she wouldn't want to know.

_'I finally caught up to you.'_

Murasakibara strided out of the convenience store, a plastic bag of sweets in hand. She pulled out a candy bar and began to munch on it lazily. A small vibration in her skirt pocket made her pause, as she fished out her phone. Staring at the words on the screen, she closed the phone and returned it to her pocket. The purple-haired girl ambled along, as if the text message was unimportant. The only visible difference in the girl was that she bit and chewed her candy bar much more harshly, like a predator bites off the meat of their prey.

_'You were able to run away last time.'_

"Uwah, Sei-chan is smiling," a hushed whisper escaped from Mibuchi Reo's lips as he turned to his fellow regulars. Some of them nodded in fear, staring at the figure of the smiling red-head that stood near the bench, her cell phone in hand.

"Yeah! She's been smiling like that for the past five minutes!" the over-energetic Hayama Kotaro stated in a painfully loud voice. The red-head turned to smile menacingly in their direction.

"If you have time to discuss my personal matters, it means that you have time to do double your training menu," Akashi told them in a frighteningly soft voice. The regulars flinched at their captain's words and ran off to start their doubled training menu. Akashi turned her back on them and glanced at her phone.

**From:** Kise Ryouka

**Subject: **No Subject

**[ **I found him. **]**

She smiled, her heterochromatic eyes glinting.

_'But this time, you're not getting away from us.'_

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>Kuroko no Basuke rightfully belongs to Fujimaki Tadatoshi. The characters in this story do not belong to me. I only own this piece itself and the plotline. Any similar works are purely coincidental.

**Author's Note: **Thank you for reading! I hope you liked it! I've decided to make these author's notes shorter...must be annoying to see them all the time. It is frighteningly obvious how bad I am at writing basketball scenes...well, this was the most difficult chapter to write so far, both in context and with my schedule. A bit of KiKuro in here as well... Anyways, I don't have much to say so, thank you to those who liked, followed or reviewed! Until next time, folks!


	5. Chapter 4- But I do

**Chapter 4 : "But I do"**

Kuroko laid down on his back, watching the shadows move on the ceiling of his room. The room was dark except for the dim rays of moonlight that filtered in from the gap in the curtains. Kuroko rolled over and closed his eyes, trying to sleep. However, sleep evaded him as the memories slowly crept out of their hiding places and began to torment him. Kuroko shivered and his skin prickled with cold in spite of the warmth of his bed. He buried his face in his pillow, staring into the blackness that was his closed eyelids.

The memories from a few days ago returned to him. The details were all recorded in his memory like an indelible imprint. It joined the other frightening memories that he stored in the deepest recesses of his mind, crouching in the shadows. He remembered her face and expression clearly as if he had taken a photograph of the scene. Kuroko stared at the image in his mind, observing every inch as if for a clue or a sign. However, all Kuroko found was the face of a predator that he had once cared for.

Kise Ryouka had changed. The cheerful, caring girl who Kuroko had once known was now an egocentric and deceitful woman who solely comprehended victory. Kuroko hated it. Kuroko despised the way Kise threw around those fake smiles; a mask worn to attract attention. Kuroko despised her superior attitude that rendered her inconsiderate and destructive. Kuroko wanted Kise to return to her former self. Kuroko remembered the old Kise. The Kise that was easy to see through and comprehend. The Kise that was sweet and helpful. The Kise that used to cling to him and wail like a lost puppy. The Kise he saw now was none of those things.

A sudden thought caused Kuroko to cling to the fabric of his pillow for support. His throat clogged up with fear and his breaths came in hasty gasps. If Kise had changed so dramatically, to the point that she was the complete opposite of what she was before, then Kuroko did not want to meet the other four Miracles. Kuroko had glimpsed the dramatic changes in them before, on their graduation day. It was a meeting that he preferred not to relive.

The sight of Kise had weighted down Kuroko's heart and cracked it in two. The people he once knew, whom he had cared for and come to rely upon, were no more. In a split second, they had disappeared from the world.

The confusion and chaos in his mind were shattering. Kuroko couldn't comprehend his own desires. When he had gone to watch the match between Kaijo and Seirin, Kuroko had convinced himself that it was out of interest for the Seirin team. He never once considered whether he was going for the sake of seeing Kise.

The foul memories returned to feast on him. Kuroko remembered how Kise grabbed him and demanded answers from him. Kuroko saw her as if she were there at that very moment, gripping his shoulders and shaking him like a lifeless doll. The forbidding expression on her face sent ice through his blood, but a weak warmth penetrated his heart as well. He froze with incomprehension.

Kuroko understood that no matter what his mind told him, his heart would never betray the truth. Kuroko possessed an unbreakable connection with the five girls. They were all tied together by a thin thread. Regardless of how hard he tugged at the strings, he would never get away. What mattered was whether he really wanted to destroy their connection, a question he failed to answer. At the moment, the only thing he could see was that image of Kise etched in his memory. With that picture floating in his thoughts, Kuroko succumbed to sleep, but even then his dreams haunted him with every version of 'what-could-have-been.'

He hated it.

* * *

><p>A gloomy silence hung over the gymnasium like suffocating smoke. The Seirin team huddled in a tight group in front of Aida who was pacing in front of them. All eyes focused on Seirin's coach who was lost deep in her thoughts. Hyuga cleared his throat, trying to grab Aida's attention but it escaped the girl's ears.<p>

Aida chewed on the inside of her cheek with uncertainty. She glanced at the crowd of boys in front of her, worry rising in her again. She was naïve to think that the team would be unaffected by their loss last Friday. It was obvious, even without observation, that the boys felt devastated about their match against Kaijo. Aida easily related to them; that girl had been completely ruthless. Aida shivered at the memory. If the match affected her this much, a person on the sidelines, then she could only imagine how the boys felt. _'I have to say something,'_she thought to herself. _'Now.'_

With a squeak of her shoes, Aida decisively turned to face the Seirin team. She crossed her arms over her chest and breathed in deeply. "Alright, everyone! Listen up!" she called to them, her russet eyes taking in their every move. The boys jerked up at her voice, a hint of expectation in their eyes. Aida stared back with confidence. As their coach, she would not betray their expectations.

"I know you're all thinking about the match last Friday," Aida began, running her eyes over the crowd. She saw a few of the boys flinch at her words, but she chose to continue. "It was a devastating loss." Aida saw the boys fidgeting uneasily, as if she were saying something wrong. "However, we need to learn from it. Remember, Kaijo isn't an easy team to beat and we couldn't have expected victory on the first try. So, there's nothing to―"

Aida stopped, the words dying in her throat. She gazed at the group in front of her and felt a weight drop in her heart. It wasn't working. Aida wanted to scream in frustration as she reviewed her speech. Aida had just reminded them that they were bound to lose to Kaijo anyway. She had been adding salt to the wound. She felt like a complete failure. The blank orbs that watched her seemed to agree with her. Her determination quickly faded and she stood dumbly, unable to regain the courage to speak. The boys fidgeted again, but Aida couldn't conjure up any words. It was as if someone had clogged up her throat.

A disturbance within the group surprised her. Hyuga moved to stand next to her, facing the rest of the team. "You guys!" he shouted with ferocity. "How long are you going to sulk around? We lost!" The group stared back in shock upon hearing the tabooed words. "That's right," Hyuga continued. "But, we can't just stop here because of one little loss. We need to stay strong and get back on the court! Weren't we aiming for the Nationals?" Hyuga stopped, seeing a few of the second years nod in response.

Hyuga grinned before speaking again. "Then, we can't just sit around. We can't dwell upon one practice match. If we keep brooding about it, we'll never be able to kick Kaijo's butt. Don't you want revenge?" From the back, a few cheers of assent rose. Hyuga glanced at Aida, frowning when he realized that the girl seemed to remain frozen. He chewed his bottom lip in frustration, his mind working furiously.

Izuki, seeing Hyuga's concern, smiled softly. "Hyuga's right, you know," he said, as if he were talking to himself. "There's no reason to fear. We'll be right back up again."

Aida blinked and glanced between the two. Before she knew it, the lump in her throat had vanished. _'Honestly,' _she thought to herself with annoyance, hiding the smile on her face. _'I was the one that was going to cheer them up, but it's as if the roles have reversed.'_ Regaining her composure, Aida clapped her hands twice, the sound resonating through the room. "Don't forget what will happen if you fail to succeed," Aida threatened with a sly smile on her face. The Seirin team laughed at the childish, but serious threat. Aida smiled at their reaction, feeling the choking atmosphere dissipating. The boys smiled with excitement and resolve, the blank look in their eyes fading away.

"Then let's start practice!" Aida called out, waving the boys away. The group began to run off to warm up.

Hyuga turned to follow them, however a tug at his shirt held him back. He spun around to see Aida, smiling gratefully at him. "Thank you," she muttered before walking off. Hyuga felt a blush creep on to his cheeks and he smiled stupidly. Unfortunately, his joy was short-lived as it quickly disappeared when he saw Aida thanking Izuki as well. The freshmen chose not to question the angry look on their captain's face.

Aida plopped down on the bench nearby, watching the boys warm up. Picking up a pencil, she inspected the training menus that she had made at the beginning of the year. She jotted down a few changes, scanning the pages quickly. In her mind, she reassessed the match from last Friday, watching it like a recorded video. From her assessment, Aida noted that Seirin's lack in strength and stamina was the main cause of their loss. The second cause was...

Aida's eyes moved to watch Kagami who had run past. Aida recalled how Kagami had lost to Kise. It was not that he lacked strength, but it was that Kise was incomparably strong. Kagami had played fiercely during the practice match, but to no avail. Aida watched the red-head running, wondering how he felt about the loss. Aida had the feeling that she should worry about Kagami, not because he might be deterred, but because he might have become more driven by their defeat. Wasn't there someone who could calm down this reckless and impulsive red-head?

Aida felt as if there was an empty space. She felt that someone was missing, a valuable member of their team; someone who could turn the tables in their favor. Aida was unable to place her finger on it. The answer seemed within reach, but she couldn't quite comprehend it. The Seirin team was full of good players with plenty of potential. They were still in the making, but strong for a new team. Technically, the team wasn't missing anything. Yet, Aida knew that they lacked an important member.

Unconsciously, Aida reached a hand out, stroking the surface of her clipboard. Her russet eyes widened with realization. She fumbled with the clipboard and tugged off the papers until one remained; the last one. It was gone. That mysterious application form was gone. Aida stood with incomprehensible haste and dashed off towards the club room. She was ignorant to the questioning calls behind her. Why would such an insignificant piece of paper be so important to her? Aida failed to grasp her urgency. However, Aida trusted her intuition and instincts...and her instincts were ringing like alarm bells.

* * *

><p>The blond model stood at the gates of Seirin High school. Excited whispers erupted on both sides of the girl as she strolled by nonchalantly. The blond model turned a golden eye on the students in the courtyard and she flashed her signature smile in a random direction. As the model walked onwards, she left a trail of fainting students in her wake. The girl hummed indifferently, but stopped abruptly when the roof of the Seirin gym came into sight. At the glimpse of the building, Kise Ryouka broke into a run, unable to contain her urgency any longer.<p>

Kise skidded to a halt in front of the door of the gym. She breathed in and out, struggling to calm her rapidly beating heart. Kise stopped resisting, letting a wave of excitement emit from her. She almost bounced on her feet, reaching out to push the door open. Kise paused, her eyes glinting with agitation.

_'Kurokocchi could be behind this door,'_ she thought, her eyes flashing brightly. Her last meeting with Kuroko had been unsatisfactory. They hadn't been able to talk about anything and Kise had much to discuss with teal-haired boy. Kise wanted answers, answers that only Kuroko held.

Kise shook her head, getting rid of the distracting thoughts. She reminded herself that the sole reason she stood outside this door was because of that phone call. She shuddered at the terrifying memory. She had come to Seirin to confirm whether Kuroko was there or not. If so, she wouldn't hesitate to steal the boy away. If not― Kise shook her head. She refused to think about it.

Kise deemed that she had waited enough. She pushed the door open, making a loud creaking sound. She saw heads turn in her direction and she smirked as the Seirin team stared at her dumbstruck. Eyes widened as she strolled in, waving her hand at them. "Hello!" she called out cheerfully to the silent players. No one returned her greeting. Kise cleared her throat and smiled at the blank faces in front of her. "Sorry for intruding," she added in another attempt to start a conversation.

This time, the Seirin captain reacted. "Kise...san!" Hyuga almost shouted. "What are you doing here?!"

Kise grinned slyly at Hyuga's reaction before walking to the center of the court. She spun in a circle, observing every player. She frowned when she didn't see that familiar head of teal hair. Kise swiveled to frown at Hyuga with an accusatory glare. She started to speak slowly, choosing her words carefully. "Do...any of you know anybody by the name of...Kuroko Tetsuya?" she asked, her eyes narrowing.

The Seirin team stared at the girl with disbelief. Kise Ryouka had just walked into their gym, during their practice and asked about a random person called Kuroko. They all thought the same thing. _'Is the world ending?'_

Kagami, however, was a different case. The red-head stood, staring at the blond model in front of him. His eyes narrowed and the grip on the basketball he held tightened.

Before meeting Kise, Kagami had been enthusiastic after learning about the Generation of Miracles. Despite their gender, he had marked them as opponents because everyone called them the 'best in Japan.' His only aim had been to steal that title away from them. It should have been easy, but Kise had proven him wrong. This was the person that had beaten him, had brought him to shame. If it were any other player, Kagami would have been ecstatic. If it hadn't been Kise, Kagami would have been thankful. _If it weren't a simple girl__..._ Kagami had chosen them as his opponents, but considering that Japanese basketball was nothing in comparison to American basketball, moreover that these so-called Miracles were girls..._he should have won. _It was a mistake, an error. Kagami couldn't accept that.

Kagami gritted his teeth with irritation. Without thinking, he threw the ball in Kise's direction, aiming to hit her.

Kise reacted quickly, raising her hand to intercept the ball. It spun in her hand, burning the skin on her palm. She winced as the ball dropped from her hand, thumping against the floor. Kise glanced over and spotted the red-head, her golden eyes darkening. "Kagami," she hissed through her teeth, seething with anger.

"Bakagami! What are you doing?!" Hyuga yelled at Kagami. The red-head ignored the second year completely, his eyes on the blond female in front of him.

"I can't accept it," Kagami glared at Kise with resentment. "I can't accept the fact that I lost to you!" he pointed a finger at the girl, his dark red eyes burning with ferocity. "Play against me. I don't believe that you're stronger than me."

Kise stared incredulously at Kagami before chuckling. "Really, you never know when to stop, do you?" she asked, bending to pick up the basketball on the floor. "Fine, then," she spoke with sudden rage. "You say you can't accept that I beat you? Is it because I'm a girl? Is it because boys are stronger?" Kise glared at the daring red-head. "I'll show you, Kagami. I'll show you."

"Bring it on!" Kagami challenged, grinning with confidence. He sure that he was stronger than this girl who stood in front of him. There was no doubt about it, yet the faces of his team mates said otherwise. Kagami bit his lip in irritation at the looks of uncertainty he was receiving. He would prove them wrong. He couldn't be weaker than Kise. He couldn't be.

They two aces stood, facing each other in the center of the court, silence enveloping the room. Kise dribbled the ball cautiously at her side, squinting her golden eyes. She took in a deep breath, patiently bouncing the ball against the floor. Suddenly, her mouth split into a menacing grin and she charged forward.

Kagami grinned, blocking her way. "Do you think you can pass me like that?" he growled.

Kise simply smiled in response. She paused, dribbling the ball at her side and turning to put distance between the ball and Kagami. Kise glanced to Kagami's right, causing the red-head to move in that direction instinctively. Kise smirked as she crossed the ball over to her right hand and passed Kagami on his left. Kagami cursed under his breath, running after the blond female. "Not yet!" he shouted.

Kise burst ahead and jumped, performing a perfect lay-up. She smiled at Kagami who stood behind her, his red eyes dark and angry. "Still not satisfied?" Kise inquired carelessly.

Kagami growled under his breath. "You got lucky," he said through clenched teeth.

"You think?" Kise shrugged, smirking with superiority. "Fine, I can take you on again," she commented. "But let me tell you, it's futile."

Kagami picked up the ball, bouncing it towards the center of the court. "We'll see about that," he breathed softly.

The gym was silent yet again as Kagami dribbled the ball in front of Kise, his eyes narrowed with obstinacy. Without warning, Kagami drove towards Kise, swerving to the right with a burst of speed. Kise clenched her teeth and turned to run after the red-head. She was running next to him, blocking any routes to the basket. With amazing accuracy, Kagami dribbled between his legs, spinning around the blond female. Before any of them knew it, Kagami had dunked the ball into the basket. Kise's eyes widened and she glared at the red-head who was grinning in her direction.

"See?" he said lightly. "What was that about being futile, again?" he added scathingly.

Kise shook her head, retrieving the basketball. "Looks like I should go all out," she stated airily.

"That's what I told you!" Kagami shouted in a fit of rage. Hyuga made a move to cuff Kagami on the head but Izuki and Koganei restrained him. Kise only tilted her head in response before dribbling the ball to the center of the court.

"Then again..." Kise muttered to herself. "I don't think I'll go to all that trouble."

Kagami's eyes widened as Kise drove in his direction, the ball bouncing in the girl's hand. She passed the red-head easily, although she was holding back. She watched as the red-head ran after her, exactly the same way as she had done moments before. Once the two players neared the basket, Kise copied Kagami's earlier movements, dribbling the ball through her legs and spinning around the red-head. Kagami let out a furious growl and jumped to block the dunk, yet Kise masterfully dunked the ball into the hoop. Kagami fell to the ground, sitting in Kise's shadow. He looked up at Kise, his red eyes shocked.

"Kagami," Kise spit out his name as if it had a vulgar taste. "As amusing as all this is, I've had quite enough of you." Kagami stared at the blond female, as if seeing her for the first time. Kagami knew of Kise's copy cat techniques, but somehow it had been different. Somehow, the look on Kise's face caused all of his determination to disappear.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again," Kise stared the boy down, her lips curving into a beautiful frown. "Give up. You can't beat the Generation of Miracles. You'll never win, so do us all a favor before you hurt yourself." Nothing stirred in the room, nothing could be heard, not even a breath. "The Generation of Miracles will always win. The only people who can beat me, is one of them. Do me a favor and forget your dreams, Kagami, because," Kise paused as if to create effect. "_we are unbeatable._"

Kagami was too shocked to speak. Kise turned away with a flick of her hair and took a step towards the other Seirin members. It was incomprehensibly satisfying to see the group step away from her. Kise regained her cheerful demeanour and smiled cheerily. "So, as I was saying before," she started quietly. The Seirin team blinked back at her with an uncomprehending air.

Kise breathed out a soft sigh. "I asked before, do you know anybody by the name of Kuroko Tetsuya?" she stated.

The boys started back incredulously. Kagami stood, speaking up. "Wait―"

"Do you know anybody by the name of Kuroko Tetsuya?" Kise said, her tone dark and insistent. When no response came, she shouted out in irritation. "Well, do you or do you not?!"

As if finally realizing that the girl was asking a question, Izuki answered. "I don't know anybody by that name here, not in our school."

Kise waited but no one contradicted. Kise let out a shaky sigh before spinning to face the doorway. "Well, if that's the case," she murmured to herself, preparing for another dreadful phone call. "Thank you for your time," Kise bowed politely before walking away. The stunned members of the Seirin team, including Kagami, watched the retreating figure with a sense of relief and a dark feeling of dread.

Aida stood on the other side of the door that connected the gym to the locker rooms. She stood there, replaying the conversation she had overheard between the Seirin members and Kise. Aida shut her eyes, before opening them for confirmation. The writing was unmistakable. _Kuroko Tetsuya. _Now there was no question about it.

* * *

><p>Kuroko sat rigidly in his chair, nails digging into the palm of his hand. He tilted his head, trying to hear what his classmates were saying, but at the same time trying to shut the voices out. Kuroko fearfully continued to eavesdrop on the group of girls and boys that were chattering excitedly. Kuroko stopped listening when he confirmed that he had heard correctly.<p>

"Kise Ryouka came here! To Seirin!"

Kise Ryouka came to Seirin. Kise came to Seirin. To see him? Kuroko shook his head in disbelief. There was no possibility of that happening, and yet..._Kise Ryouka came to Seirin._

"Excuse me! Is there anyone here by the name of Kuroko Tetsuya?!" The words caused Kuroko to stiffen in his seat. Who was it? It couldn't be Kise. Kuroko turned his head like an owl and saw a brunette standing in the doorway, frowning. Kuroko immediately recognized the female as the basketball coach. What was she doing there? More importantly, what did she want with him?

"No?" Aida asked, staring around the classroom. She let out a dejected sigh before moving to walk away. Kuroko, feeling somewhat guilty, stood and went to tap the girl on the shoulder.

Aida shrieked with surprise, staring at the teal-haired boy in front of her. "Excuse me," Kuroko muttered. "What do you need me for?"

Overcoming her first shock, Aida glanced up and down the boy. For someone who was in Teiko's basketball team, he looked extremely weak. Even without being able to analyze the boy fully, it was plain to see that the teal-head didn't have the build for sports. _'And what was it with his lack of presence?!' _Aida thought. _'It's like he's a ghost!'_ Out loud, the brunette said, "Can you come with me for a second?"

Kuroko's eyes widened a fraction. His hands shook as the memories that came flooding back to him. His voice stuck in his throat and he couldn't speak. He shook his head in response, his mouth tightening into a thin line.

Aida blinked at his response, then frowned. Although she could simply walk away and accept this boy's refusal, a voice in her head insisted that she talk with the teal-head. It was not her wish to dig up his secrets, nor her wish to recruit him. There was a more caring and compassionate emotion that made her grab the teal-head's wrist and drag him towards the rooftop.

Kuroko desperately tried to tug his hand out of Aida's grip but his body was frozen in place. He felt waves of cold running through him from the point where the girl held him. The cold was unbearable, but the fear in him refused to loosen its grip. Kuroko couldn't move, couldn't resist. He simply let the brunette drag him to wherever she pleased.

Once the pair had reached the rooftop, Aida let go of Kuroko's hand. Even then, the teal-head was immobile and speechless. For a few moments, the two stared at each other, russet eyes analytical and determined, teal eyes bright and imperceptibly fearful.

"Kuroko-kun," Aida started, having no time to lose. "I'm Aida Riko, Seirin's basketball coach." Aida paused, waiting for Kuroko to respond, however the teal-head said nothing. Aida inhaled and continued. "I think this belongs to you." She extended a piece of crumpled paper with a tear running through the center of the page.

Kuroko's eyes widened at the sight of the paper and he slowly took it from Aida, his hands shaking. The paper crumpled further underneath his tightened grip. Still, the teal-head said nothing.

"I know it's not my business and that I'm being nosy..." Aida breathed out. "But, this has bothered me for a while. You see, I couldn't understand. I don't understand why you didn't give in that form."

Kuroko looked up from inspecting the paper. He parted his lips then closed them again. He shut his teal eyes and spoke slowly, almost as if it gave him pain to talk. "You...wouldn't, you couldn't," Kuroko exhaled and tried again. "You couldn't understand."

Aida frowned softly, before nodding in agreement. "You're right," she stated. "And I'm not asking for answers. What happened is your business, but you obviously had some interest in our basketball club...and...I was curious―to see who you were. I mean, you came from Teiko and―" It sounded lame coming from her but Aida did not want this opportunity to pass. This boy was hiding something, some sort of talent and some horrible past. It was for both reasons that Aida had gone searching for him.

Kuroko nodded. "I understand," he said quietly. "But I quit basketball." The words were unconvincing to Aida but she didn't comment. Although the words were to end their conversation and prevent any further interaction, Aida was not dissuaded. However, she chose to stop there. The teal eyes that looked at her were begging her. Begging her for something. He looked as if he were begging her to leave.

"Well, I guess that's really all I had to say," Aida spoke. "Oh, and―nevermind. Anyways, I hope you reconsider, you know, joining the basketball club." Aida moved to turn away, but paused when she stared into those teal eyes again. Realizing her mistake, Aida smiled softly and reassured the teal-haired boy. "I know, Kuroko-kun. I know...you really do love basketball." With that, Aida left the rooftop and the teal-haired boy behind.

Kuroko stared after the brunette, closing his eyes against the flurry of colors around him. He gripped the form in his hands tightly. "But...I do hate basketball," Kuroko whispered to himself, holding on to the form like it was his lifeline. "I do," he repeated. How he loved to deceive himself.

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>Kuroko no Basuke rightfully belongs to Fujimaki Tadatoshi. The characters in this story do not belong to me. I only own this piece itself and the plotline. Any similar works are purely coincidental.

**Author's Note: **Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed that...I honestly find that I rush these chapters...I just have too much to write that nothing seems to flow well. Anyways, thanks to all those who liked, followed and reviewed! I know this story has a very slow plot-line but I hope you'll bear with me. Again, thank you for reading! Until next time!


	6. Chapter 5- Do you like basketball?

**Chapter 5 : "Do you like basketball?"**

Warm, spring mornings were certainly pleasant. The playful breeze, the traces of flowers in the air, the soft hues in the dawning sky; everyone appreciated the beautiful sight. There was nothing displeasing about such a peaceful scene, and none would argue with that assertion. That is, except for one Kagami Taiga.

At the present moment, the dark red-head was at one of the public basketball courts near Seirin. After having been kept awake all night with consistent rage, Kagami had tried to bury all of his restrained emotions in sweat and basketball. Usually the method worked and his irritation dissipated, however his anger continued to streak through his blood. Kagami's temper did not vanish, in fact, it became worse.

Kagami dunked his basketball into one of the hoops. As he dropped to the ground, the image of a blond-haired female flickered in his mind. Kagami seethed with anger as he retrieved his basketball from its place and began to dribble it with unnecessary force. Kagami painfully slapped the ball with his hand, causing it to bounce high before landing on the ground with a loud thud. The ball rolled across the court, but the red-head left it as it was, instead collapsing on a bench nearby. He ran a hand through his hair in frustration, letting out a hissing sound from between his gritted teeth.

Everything he did reminded him of Kise. Normally, Kagami wouldn't act like a sore loser. He would accept the defeat and become all excited, but Kise was different. It wasn't hard to point out exactly what was unusual about the blond basketball player. Kise was a female; one of those cheerful, feminine girls that fussed over appearances and loved to spread rumors. If Kise were boyish and masculine, Kagami would reconsider his thoughts, but Kise was neither of those. Kise was simply a girl, seemingly untalented in sports, until...

Kagami remembered the exhausting defeat that Seirin had suffered. The dark faces of his teammates appeared in his thoughts as haunting pictures. Kagami felt the rage swelling inside him. He wanted to crush Kise, smug face and all. The fact that Kise had beat them, beat _him_was unacceptable and unrealistic. It was so difficult to believe, yet Kagami had seen it for himself. Kise had not only beat him once, but twice. There was nothing false or illusory about Kise's victory, it was that she was stronger and faster than them. Kise had won through her own ability. It was neither a mistake nor an error.

Kagami knew he had to accept this defeat. He had to move on so that he could beat Kise next time. Otherwise, he would have to suffer, and he would have to watch his teammates suffer. Again, anger bubbled inside of him like lava.

That was one thing he didn't want. Putting aside his own pain, his own defeat, he did not want to see his teammates suffer the same. Seeing those faces once was enough to last a lifetime. Kagami would make sure that those haunted, desolate expressions would never cross his teammate's faces again. His grudge against Kise was incurable; it would stay with him for the rest of his life, but he obliged himself to push it out of his mind for now. As long as he continued to hold that grudge, he couldn't win against Kise. As long as he held on to that resentful feeling, he would have to watch the Seirin team in agony. So, Kagami pushed it aside, as his judgement told him to. It was his sacrifice for victory.

Kagami started to grin as he stood and picked up his basketball. He dribbled it as he felt his temper subside. He left the public basketball courts, beginning to make his way towards school. It was at that moment that Kagami checked his phone for the time, almost dropping it in realization. He was late for morning practice, which meant certain death at the hands of Seirin's coach. Swearing under his breath, Kagami replaced his phone and tucked his basketball underneath his arm. He began to sprint towards school, already feeling the dark cloud of anger emanating from up ahead.

When Kagami reached the Seirin gym, he was breathless with sweat drenching his forehead. The second Kagami walked inside, someone grabbed him by the arms from behind. An abnormal cracking sound filled the air and from his place, Kagami could see the other Seirin team members glancing in his direction. When Kagami looked upwards, he saw the Seirin coach trying to murder him. It was at this point that Kagami let out a sharp wince, finally registering the pain in his arms and back.

"You're late, Bakagami!" Aida shouted furiously from above.

"I'm sorry!" Kagami shouted back, trying not to scream in pain. Presently, the pain disappeared as Aida removed him from her Boston crab hold. Kagami stood up slowly, nursing his aching arms. "I'm...sorry," he muttered again. Something in his voice told the Seirin team that he wasn't simply apologizing for being late.

Aida, feeling a surge of irritation, growled at him. "If you're sorry, you'll accept your punishment," she stated, her hands on her hips. Kagami looked up with a small frown, raising one of his eyebrows. Despite his calm demeanour, he felt his palms getting slippery with nervousness. Hopefully the coach was feeling lenient, although he highly doubted it. "From today on," Aida announced dramatically. "You have to watch over Kuroko Tetsuya!"

Kagami blinked, staring blankly at Aida. The name resounded in his ears like an echo. It sounded familiar but Kagami couldn't figure out where he had heard it before. Moreover, he couldn't understand why Aida wanted him to tail someone whom he nor, judging by their expressions, any of the other Seirin team members knew. "Who?" he asked, effectively causing Aida to punch him in the stomach. "Are you really that stupid?!" she asked with incredulity. "He's in the same class as you and sits behind you! How can you not know who he is?!"

Kagami grumbled to himself, searching his memory. The name had a sense of familiarity, but Kagami couldn't remember who sat behind him. He racked his brains, tracing his memories back to the first week of school. Suddenly, he let out a cry of realization, pointing a finger at Aida as if to accuse her. "That invisible guy!" Kagami announced loudly, earning him another jab in the stomach, this time from Hyuga.

Aida blinked, suddenly feeling an unusual sense of insecurity. It was as if she were at the point of breaking into some large conspiracy. "Yeah...him," she replied shortly, her russet eyes narrowing a fraction. She tapped her bottom lip with her index finger, her mind working furiously. She barely heard Kagami's next question; "Why do I have to follow him?!"

Aida looked up, seeing the expectant faces. "He's...important," she answered vaguely, to which Kagami frowned and began to complain. She immediately shut him up with another punch to the stomach. Feeling the pressure of curiosity, Aida began to shout at Kagami who bent double. "Look, just do it! It's your punishment! That's all!" Kagami promptly ceased to argue, but Aida still felt questioning gazes on her. Aida confronted the curious players and ordered them loudly, "Well, hurry up and practice!"

As Kagami trudged to the locker rooms, Aida sat down, resting her aching head. Kagami's words rang in her head repeatedly. _'That invisible guy...'_ she thought. Invisible. That was the key word. A rumor that she had once heard popped up in her head. The rumor that concerned the Generation of Miracles and a sixth man, known as the Phantom Sixth Man.

Aida shook her head to herself as she felt a presence near her. Aida looked up and saw Hyuga sitting next to her, staring at her intently with worried black eyes. He breathed in quietly before asking, "Are you all right?" Aida nodded in response, turning away.

Aida knew that one of them were bound to ask her the question. They were curious about what she was planning, but something held her back from telling them. It felt like a breach of privacy if she talked too much. Again, Hyuga spoke with caution. "This...Kuroko," he muttered slowly, choosing his words with care. "Who is he?"

Aida looked up, chewing her bottom lip with contemplation. "He―" Aida hesitated but Hyuga nodded his head for her to continue. Aida breathed out a soft sigh before continuing. "He's this boy from Teiko Middle School. Remember that form I picked up during the first week of school?"

Hyuga blinked, creasing his eyebrows in thought. "That thing?" he inquired, and Aida nodded to confirm. "So, what?" he questioned.

"Well, I went to see him recently," Aida muttered, watching as Hyuga nodded. "He wasn't exactly what I would have expected from someone who had been to Teiko. He was short, not very athletic-looking, and he had a severe lack of presence. It was just...there was something on his form that bothered me...a lot."

"What was it?" Hyuga asked. Aida squirmed with the difficulty of forming comprehensible words.

"I don't know, it's just that, it seemed as though he wanted to join badly, but something was holding him back," Aida breathed in. "Plus, Kise Ryouka came to see him. I don't think he's just anything."

Hyuga scratched his cheek as he thought, frowning slightly. "Well, I understand your concerns, but you can't force the kid to join," Hyuga spoke. "If he doesn't want to join, leave him be, alright?"

Aida paused before speaking up. "It's just that."

"What do you mean?" Hyuga inquired while blinking his coal eyes. Aida only shook her head, shrugging her shoulders. "Nevermind," she answered. "You can go back to practice. Don't worry about me."

"Okay," Hyuga replied, although unconvinced. Aida watched the black-haired captain run on to the court, chastising Kagami who had just returned from the locker rooms. Aida cast her eyes away from the amusing sight, feeling a tight knot around her heart. "It's just that," she muttered to herself again. She remembered those begging cyan eyes, staring straight at her. Scared, but begging for her to do just that. To force him.

* * *

><p>Kagami didn't even feel the slightest amusement. He was in the process of 'stalking' this antisocial teal-haired boy by the name of Kuroko. All day, Kagami had followed this boy with increasing difficulty. Firstly, this guy was practically invisible; he literally disappeared from sight. The second thing was that this Kuroko had exceptionally good observational skills and that Kagami had already gotten caught on the job once or twice.<p>

_'Why am I following him again?'_ Kagami thought. It was beyond his comprehension. The fact that Aida had taken an interest in the boy puzzled Kagami. If the boy had been tall and muscular, Kagami would have understood, but Kuroko was neither of those. Kuroko was short, pale and sickly looking; definitely not the sporty type. Unless Aida had taken a personal interest in the teal-haired boy, there was no merit in following Kuroko. Kagami rubbed the back of his neck, trying to figure out why Kuroko would be of any importance.

Moreover, Kagami didn't know when he could stop all this stalking business. Aida would murder him if he didn't do his punishment properly and Kagami had enough hell waiting for him at practice already. That was why Kagami still followed the teal-head even though it was already dark outside. Indiscreetly, Kagami trailed after the shorter boy, hiding behind telephone poles and garbage cans when the blunette glanced backwards. Kagami knew that he looked like an idiot, and he wouldn't be surprised if Aida had only done it to take an embarrassing video of him. Yet, Kagami admitted that he felt intrigued by the peculiar behaviour of the boy.

Kuroko Tetsuya was a name no one knew. He blended in with his surroundings and became a part of the background, so much that he was impossible to see. To Kagami, it felt different though. It wasn't as if Kuroko was invisible by nature, but rather that he chose to melt away from sight. Kuroko seemed to hide behind everyone else. It was like a shield, a barrier to keep other people out. _'Or to shut himself in,'_ Kagami thought, shaking his head at the incredulous thought.

Kagami glanced around, realizing that he had lost Kuroko as his thoughts had consumed him. Kagami turned his head, searching for that conspicuous head of teal hair. He found the bright color amidst the shadows of the public basketball court, huddled up in blackness. The figure was dark, cold, hostile...and alone. So utterly alone. Kagami felt a stabbing feeling in his heart that reminded him of the time he had seen the devastated faces of his teammates. Was it compassion? Sympathy? Kagami didn't know, however instinct surged through Kagami and he began to walk, almost awkwardly, to the crouched mass of shadow. Uncertainly, he reached out a hand to touch the shadow. When he felt the warmth underneath his hand, Kagami finally came to realize just how real this person was.

* * *

><p>Kuroko sat on one of the benches in the public basketball courts. The sun had fallen long ago and there was no moon. The only source of light was the artificial glow from the lamps on the sidewalks. Kuroko stared at the full extent of the court in front of him, the familiar sight of the hoops, the lines on the court... Kuroko could hear the beat of the basketball against the ground, the cheering voices from the sidelines, the shouts of his teammates. Then it was gone, fading into silence.<p>

He remembered how they used to play here, in this exact spot. The ghosts of the past shimmered before him like mirages. Kuroko slapped his cheeks lightly, trying to regain his senses. Fatigue enveloped him and he felt his eyelids drooping, encasing his vision in black. Strangely enough, the darkness was comforting. If only he could disappear into that darkness, that nothingness where his past couldn't follow, his memories couldn't haunt, his straining sense of obligation couldn't torture. If only he could lose himself in that shadow of blackness. There was nothing here for him, after all. If only he could just fade away, like those happy memories. Yet, he was still here.

Unexpectedly, Kuroko felt a hand on his shoulder and he flinched. He looked up and saw a familiar red-head towering above him. Kuroko stared into those dark red eyes and frowned with hesitancy, feeling as though something was missing in them. Kuroko felt shivers running down his spine as he pushed the hand away. He wriggled away from Kagami, moving down the bench. However, Kagami deposited his bag and slumped down beside him, taking it as though it were an invitation. Kuroko turned away, refusing to look in Kagami's direction.

"Hi," Kagami muttered lamely, unable to conjure up any other words.

Kuroko still didn't look in his direction, but he muttered quietly in response. "Please stop stalking me."

"Stalk―" Kagami spluttered, staring at Kuroko incredulously. "Hey! It's not like I want to!" he protested, trying to cover up for his actions. "It's not my fault!"

Kuroko shivered and shook his head. "Then please leave," he said softly, playing with the hem of his sleeve. He was feeling his legs freezing up, gluing him in place. Kuroko felt numb all over, knowing that he wouldn't be able to move as long as Kagami was near him. The red-head was fierce, easily irritated, angry; Kagami scared Kuroko. Kagami was so similar to _them_ in so many ways. Kuroko tried to edge farther away from the red-head, reaching the edge of the bench.

Thankfully, Kagami turned his attentions away. "Hey, look! A basketball!" he called out, walking to the center of the court and picking up the stray ball. Kuroko glanced at Kagami's bag, frowning slightly. _'Don't you have your own?' _he thought to himself, turning to glance in Kagami's direction.

Suddenly, Kuroko's cyan orbs widened and his breath hitched as the sight of the red-head caught his eyes. Kagami began to dribble, crossing over as if there were an invisible defender in front of him. Then, Kagami jumped like a wildcat, bringing his hand with the ball down into the hoop. The swishing of the net and the jolting of the hoop were all too familiar scenes to Kuroko, but the satisfied expression on Kagami's face and the expert handling of the ball reminded him of someone else. Someone lost in the past, a long time ago.

"Do you like basketball?" Kuroko asked without thinking. Kagami turned to look in his direction, raising an inquisitive eyebrow. Finally, he broke into a grin. "Of course I do!" he called back in response. Kuroko's eyelids fluttered and the image flickered in front of him. Kuroko saw someone else. A tanned female with navy blue locks and a large grin on her face. _'Of course I do!'_ she shouted at him, almost as if in accusation. Kuroko almost choked at the sight. The person that he had lost, the person he had been unable to save was standing before him. Right in front of him. In Kuroko's eyes, there wasn't a Kagami. In front of him stood the old Aomine, and like the first time Kuroko had met her, her eyes were sparkling with passion.

"Do you?" the question brought Kuroko out of his reverie. "Do you like basketball, I mean?" Kagami asked again.

_'Do you like basketball?'_ Kuroko had heard that question before. What had he answered the last time? _'Yes. Yes I love basketball.'_

When Kuroko didn't answer, Kagami frowned, beginning to dribble the ball again. "I'm sure you like basketball," he spoke as he shot a three-pointer. Kuroko glanced upwards at the astonishing statement. It was the second time he had heard that statement. Kuroko couldn't get his head around it. Did it seem as though he liked basketball? Even though he hated it?

"You like basketball," Kagami asserted confidently. "Have you ever tried playing?"

Kuroko crouched downwards again. "No," he lied in a soft, steady voice. For a while, only the thumping of the basketball could be heard. Then, Kuroko felt a shadow above him and looked upwards to see Kagami.

"Then, you could always try, even if you aren't good at first. I can't hate someone who loves basketball," Kagami chuckled. In that instant, Kuroko knew that Kagami was the old Aomine. She was there, in the form of Kagami. Kagami's presence was a sedative, and Kuroko could already feel an addiction forming. Kagami's misunderstanding brought Kuroko closer, dragged him inwards, towards the one thing he had resisted all this time.

"How about it?" Kagami asked, raising a fist. Kuroko stared at it, feeling the surge of happiness he had felt three years back; one that he hadn't felt in a long time. Kuroko didn't even think about it as he felt that warm, blissful feeling. It spread through him and Kuroko found that the numbness was gone. Kuroko lightly raised a fist and bumped it with Kagami's. "Yes..." he muttered, his mouth forming a half-smile, because it wasn't Kagami that was there.

It was Aomine.

* * *

><p>It was another warm, spring morning when Kuroko stopped in front of the door of the Seirin gym. One of his hands gripped the old application form he had once filled in. The other hand trembled in front of the door. Kuroko closed his eyes, trying to calm his fast-beating heart.<p>

Kuroko tried to gather his courage from all of those peaceful memories. Their first days in Teiko, the warmth of friends around him, the happiness that they had all brought him. Kuroko focused on those singular thoughts, building up his long-lost bravery. When he finally had enough, he moved his hand to push the door open. However, inevitably, the foul memories rose in his mind. The backs of his former teammates, the cruel victory, their team slowly drifting apart, then suddenly shattering. His fear streaked through his nervous system, freezing him in place. His mind turned into ice and his heart froze with terror. The frustration built up inside of him but he was still paralyzed.

Would things differ if there was someone to urge him onwards? To push him from behind? It didn't matter because no one would come. No one would push him forwards. In reality, Kuroko was praying, hoping for someone to do exactly that. He couldn't turn around again. It would be impossible. He would remain suspended between these two worlds forever. The world of the past, and the world of the future.

There were words jammed in his throat, desperate for release. Kuroko wanted to scream those words, but what if no one was there to hear them? He was so afraid. He wanted to get rid of all of his fears, to forget them for a simple minute, so that he could take the first step forward. Reality was cruel to him. As if any of these things would happen. A malicious voice whispered in his ear, reminding him every day that he was worthless, he would never leave the past. That was his place, that was what life had in store for him. That was all there was.

Then, Kuroko felt it. The frightening blow against his back that pushed him into the light. His hand met with the hard surface of the door and it budged under the pressure. Kuroko could hear a voice from behind him as he fell, face-first, on to the hard floor of the basketball court. Someone tripped over him and Kuroko winced with pain.

When Kuroko finally looked up, he saw faces staring into his. Kuroko blinked, dropping his head in fright. But he was here. Inside the Seirin basketball gym. There was nothing to lose, nothing to fear. Kuroko glanced upwards and his cyan eyes met with surprised red ones. A grin broke across the face of the red-head as he saw Kuroko on the floor. Kuroko turned his head and saw Aida nearby, seemingly shocked, but with smiling eyes.

In the distance, Kuroko could hear the Seirin captain scolding Kagami and telling him to apologize. When Kagami did nothing, Hyuga punched Kagami in the head before walking over to Kuroko. Hyuga bent down and held out a hand to Kuroko, smiling softly as he spoke inaudible words. Kuroko finally took in the voices around him and he heard Hyuga as he finished speaking.

"―you all right? What's your name?" Kuroko heard the words and his heart began to beat again. He felt a wave of courage run through him.

"I―" Kuroko stopped, the words choking him. The effort was too overwhelming, yet their eyes, their voices, their faces, they were so warm. They were there, staring at him, holding out a hand to him. They were there, ready to take him in. All he had to do was say it. In the spur of the moment, the images of his former teammates flashed in his mind, but for once it wasn't those cold, dark faces. It was the faces of the girls that he had first met, that had helped him, accepted him, loved him for what he was. It was his turn to help. All he had to do was―

"I am Kuroko Tetsuya!" he shouted in a surprisingly loud voice. Kuroko ignored the shocked faces of the Seirin team around him. "And―" Kagami grinned at him, like Aomine used to do. Slowly, the old faces were melting into that of the people around him. Kuroko could almost see his former team, figures in the distance, waiting for him. They beckoned to him, urging him to catch up to them. That was his duty, as their teammate, as their friend. Kuroko's eyes scanned the group of people around him. For a moment, Kuroko forgot about the past, and saw his former teammates around him, smiling, nodding, laughing. Kuroko opened his mouth and freed the words. "And―I would like to join the Seirin basketball team!"

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>Kuroko no Basuke rightfully belongs to Fujimaki Tadatoshi. The characters in this story do not belong to me. I only own this piece itself and the plotline. Any similar works are purely coincidental.

**Author's Note: **Finally, the plot begins! I'm sorry for all these dramatic endings... Thank you for reading! I hope you liked it! Big thanks to those who liked, followed or reviewed the previous chapter! I hope you will do so for this chapter as well! I'm sorry there isn't any GoM in this one, but anyways, thanks again! Until next time!


	7. Chapter 6- The Phantom Sixth Man

**Chapter 6 : "The Phantom Sixth Man"**

_"I am Kuroko Tetsuya! And―I would like to join the Seirin basketball team!"_

An awkward silence invaded the gymnasium as everyone stared at the teal-haired boy in front of them. It was surprising to find a boy standing in front of their door, but even more so because said boy wanted to join their basketball team, and more importantly, his name was Kuroko Tetsuya.

The Seirin basketball team had not forgotten their meeting with Kise Ryouka. That mysterious name had echoed in their ears, even days afterwards, ringing with a continuous curiosity that couldn't be quenched. But now, here lay the mysterious person that they had convinced themselves didn't exist. The only people who didn't seem shocked were Aida and Kagami. Despite having been aware of Kuroko's existence, even Hyuga still looked astonished by the teal-head's appearance.

For a few long moments, no one moved, until Kuroko realized that he was still lying on the floor. Kuroko began to push himself up from the floor, feeling an ache in his leg where Kagami had tripped on him. Aida moved forward and held out a hand to Kuroko, which the boy accepted gratefully. Kuroko stood, staring at the people around him. The reality around him; the Seirin basketball team, the coach, Kagami, was slowly seeping on to him. Suddenly feeling self-conscious, Kuroko stared at his shoes.

The silence continued, giving the gymnasium an unsettling atmosphere. Finally, Koganei spoke, chuckling awkwardly. "So you actually existed, huh?"

Kuroko looked upwards, his eyes betraying none of his surprise at the comment. "What do you mean by that, sempai?" he asked politely.

"I mean, we didn't know you were a real person," Koganei replied. Aida felt a dark premonition. The warning signs in her head brightened up as she realized that Koganei was about to give away the information that she had chosen to withhold. About Kise. She still hadn't been able to explain why she had kept the truth about Kise's appearance at Seirin from Kuroko, but when she had met Kuroko, something had told her to hold her tongue. Something in Kuroko's eyes, or the way he acted had begged her to keep the thought of Kise as far away as possible.

Aida began to wave her hands frantically, knowing that her efforts would be crushed if Koganei continued. Unfortunately, he didn't realize his captain's antics and spoke. "Don't you know? Kise came looking for you here. I have no idea why she came to the basketball club though."

Aida felt as if a sword had impaled itself in her stomach. She fearfully glanced at Kuroko but his expression remained blank and emotionless. Unlike her first meeting with him, everything about Kuroko suggested impassiveness; his eyes, his voice, his slight movements were all signs of placidity. Was the Kuroko Tetsuya she had met before just an illusion? Where did that uncertain boy go?

"Kise-san came to see me?" Kuroko inquired, blinking his eyes indifferently.

Aida frowned slightly and spoke up. "Yes, she did. And she made a scene out of it too...but enough about that. Kuroko-kun, why don't we talk?" Kuroko nodded in response and Aida gestured to the teal-head to step out of the gym.

Aida stared at the immobile boys before her and she clapped her hands loudly. "Wake up! Get back to practice!" Immediately, the boys snapped out of their reverie and returned to the court, a few glancing towards the door which Kuroko had disappeared behind.

Kagami lingered behind, staring at the barrier between him and Kuroko. He grinned suddenly, feeling a sense of affinity with the shorter boy. He turned to return to practice, feeling no irregularities or confusion in Kuroko's appearance. To him, it simply seemed as if his new acquaintance had come to join their club. That was all his dark red eyes perceived.

After having seen the practice recommence, Aida stepped out of the gym and closed the door behind her. The teal-haired boy stood amid the array of spring colors. He was hardly noticeable with his pale skin and blank expression. He seemed to melt into the colors as if he were a part of them. Again, that strange rumor resurfaced, but she dismissed it.

"I didn't think you would come here this soon," Aida started slowly, her russet eyes focused on Kuroko. She didn't want to lose sight of him, but the more she stared, the more he seemed to disappear.

"Yes, well, I changed my mind," Kuroko replied softly. Even his voice seemed to disappear into the world. There was no trace of emotion in that flat voice and it seemd as if the words were air itself. The soft wind carried his voice away and it dissipated in the atmosphere. As if it never existed.

Aida hesitated, wondering how she should continue. However, Kuroko saved her the trouble as he spoke up, turning his cyan eyes on her. Those emotionless pits of blue were mesmerizing, but at the same time, frightening. A small spark seemed to light in the corners of those eyes; a spark of accusation. "Why didn't you tell me that Kise-san came to look for me?" Kuroko asked quietly.

Aida was speechless. She tightened her lips, searching for an answer. Finally, she replied, "I didn't think it was relevant." Of course, it was a feeble excuse, yet Aida did not want Kuroko to hate her. There was this urging feeling in her heart that wanted to protect this short, weak-looking boy. She thought it was some sort of motherly instinct in her, but regardless of what it was, she felt obliged to defend Kuroko from anything. It was such a strange and confusing emotion.

"Thank you," Kuroko muttered quietly. Aida perked up at the show of gratitude, blinking with confusion. However, without further inquiry, she answered, "It's nothing."

Silence hung between them for a few moments. Aida finally smiled softly and patted Kuroko on the shoulder. For the first time, Kuroko didn't flinch. "Come on, let's go back inside, shall we?" Kuroko nodded mutely, letting Aida steer him back towards the doors of the Seirin gym. No barrier stood before him and that door, and the hand on his shoulder kept pushing him forward. Kuroko glanced towards Aida and she grinned back at him. The sound of squeaking shoes and thumping basketballs reached Kuroko's ears and an eager feeling filled his heart. With a mind blank of memories, he pushed the doors open to a new future.

"Welcome to the Seirin basketball team, Kuroko-kun," Aida smiled softly.

* * *

><p>Kise stared at the caller ID on her yellow cell phone, her hands trembling softly with anticipation. It was not fear, but nervousness that emitted from the blond model as the insistent ringing continued. Kise dropped on to the couch in her living room, breathing slowly and carefully. Her shaking thumb hovered over the receiver button, her golden eyes narrowing. Then, with resolve, Kise jabbed at the button to pick up the call. She put the phone to her ear, waiting for that familiar voice to speak.<p>

_'Ryouka,'_ Akashi spoke from the other line. Her voice was flat and toneless, with an undertone of smooth elegance. On the phone, her voice was slightly static, as if an electric current ran through her words. However, even with the static sound that made it difficult to pick up the emotion in a person's voice, Kise could tell that Akashi was not pleased. The threatening edge in Akashi's words sent shivers repeatedly down her spine.

In a fit of panic, Kise began to gush out a poorly crafted apology. "I-I'm sorry, Akashicchi! I couldn't find him! It's not my fault— well maybe it is, but I'm sorry for getting ahead of myself and, oh, I tried! I looked in so many schools, and I went to Seirin's basketball team! I tried to find Kurokocc—"

_"Ryouka, stop,"_ Akashi stated firmly, letting out a small sigh. _"You're not making any sense. Calm down."_

Kise felt astonished that Akashi wasn't more angry than she sounded. In fact, she only sounded strained, but Kise would never say such things directly. All the same, Akashi certainly wasn't happy to hear from her. That would be obvious even to a bystander.

_"I knew I couldn't let you do this alone,"_ Akashi stated slowly. Kise felt incredulity at the casual comment, and was about to protest when Akashi continued. _"It's obvious that you're incapable of handling this job. I'll get someone else to do it."_

"How am I incapable?!" Kise spat angrily, her voice gradually rising as the fear she had felt before vanished. "I can handle it! I'm not an idiot!"

Akashi seemed to breathe between gritted teeth as if to say 'actually you are.' _"Well, obviously you aren't capable," _Akashi stated quietly, causing Kise to quiet down. It was not that Akashi imposed herself, but there was menace under those elegant words and flat tone. _"You didn't think things through. Your first mistake was that you didn't take note of Tetsuya's uniform or any clues that could lead you to his school."_

"But—" Kise began but her words died in her throat. The frustrating part about Akashi was that she was always right. It was impossible to deny what she said because it was absolutely true.

_"Your second mistake is that you failed to deduce the Tetsuya is in Seirin,"_ Akashi's words caused Kise to gasp with surprise. She shook her head to herself, unable to believe such a revelation. As if Akashi could see Kise, she explained, _"Tetsuya would not have known that there was a practice match unless his school was one of the participants. He isn't in Kaijo, so he is attending Seirin."_

Again, Kise opened her mouth to protest but she felt that she would say something incorrect. She closed her mouth, gritting her teeth in irritation. She had nothing to say.

_"Tetsuya wouldn't be in the Seirin basketball club, because he was on the sidelines in the first place. It wasn't as if he were on the bench during the match, was he? Also, he wasn't wearing a basketball jersey; he was wearing his school uniform. In that case, he wouldn't be on the basketball team. Am I right?"_ Akashi enunciated the last sentence firmly. Kise knew that Akashi didn't actually need confirmation. This was her way of making Kise feel foolish and brainless, and it worked.

Silence filled both sides of the line until Kise spoke. "Fine. Thank you, Akashicchi. I'll go check Seirin again," Kise stated flatly, trying to avoid getting wrapped up in Akashi's plans. However, Akashi refused to comply with that.

_"Ask Midorima to go with you. She will know what to do." _Kise jerked upwards at the words. The word 'no' was about to leave her mouth when she heard the beeping tone that ended the conversation. Frustrated, Kise threw the phone across the couch. Kise had found him first. She had worked hard to find Kuroko. Did any of the others care? No! She did all the work for them and they took the rewards. She didn't work for them, and Kuroko was not a prize she would give up. No, she refused to involve Midorima in this. Even though it was Akashi's order, Kise refused to comply. It was within her capabilities to find Kuroko, and either way, what Akashi didn't know won't hurt her.

Kise heard a sharp beep and saw the flashing light that accompanied the arrival of a text message. Kise leaned over and flipped open her phone. Her eyebrows knitted together and she frowned as her eyes darted back and forth.

**From: **Midorimacchi

**Subject:** (No Subject)

**[ **I look forward to working with you from now on. Not that I care about Kuroko or anything.  
>Anyways, I hope you haven't done anything stupid; Oha Asa said that Gemini ranked ninth today.<br>I don't think we should take any course of action for now since the Interhigh preliminaries are drawing near. I don't expect you to lose though. **]**

Kise reread the message before chucking her phone away again. She rolled over, letting out a frustrated scream into one of the cushions on the couch. Kise ran a hand through her hair, the strands slipping through her fingers. Why did nothing ever go as she planned it to? Especially when it involved the Generation of Miracles? And even more so when it involved Kuroko? She groaned into the cushion and gave up.

* * *

><p>"Gather round!" Hyuga's voice echoed around the gym. At his words, the Seirin players stopped practicing and went to their captain. A small mass formed in front of Hyuga and, at Hyuga's gesture, the chattering subsided. Hyuga's coal eyes surveyed the group in front of him and he frowned in inquiry. "Where's Kuroko?" he called out.<p>

"I'm here," a soft, monotonous voice replied from in front of Hyuga. Immediately, the group jumped backwards at the 'sudden appearance' of the pale, teal-haired boy. Hyuga almost let out a shriek of surprise but he was able to withhold it by covering his mouth. Kuroko stared at his captain nonchalantly, glancing around himself as if he had done nothing wrong. Well, technically he hadn't done anything at all.

Hyuga removed his hands from his mouth and sighed. "I still can't get used to that," he shook his head, rubbing the back of his neck with embarrassment. He looked at Kuroko apologetically but the pale boy remained indifferent. Kuroko simply shrugged and seemed to melt away again.

It had been a full week since Kuroko had joined the basketball team. Hyuga was still at a loss about why the boy was there, even though Aida had explained it to him several times. Although there were signs that Kuroko was not what he seemed, from what Hyuga had seen, Kuroko was exactly what people judged him as. The pale, teal-head was weak, with a severe lack of stamina and average strength and speed. His dribbling was amateur and his shooting was undeniably awful. After having Aida look over him and test his skills Hyuga had concluded that the boy really wasn't anything exceptional and they had seen everything as an exaggeration. Yet, Kuroko argued otherwise, having said that he was in the first string at Teiko and often participated in games. It was a bewildering statement and the rest of the team had dismissed it as a lie, but Aida's pensive expression had stated otherwise. Hyuga wondered what was on her mind. Whatever it was, it had led to Aida's decision to let Kuroko on the team.

Hyuga breathed in quietly and continued. "It's almost golden week and then it'll be the Interhigh preliminaries. There isn't much time until then. We need to polish our skills during the time we have."

At that moment, Mitobe came in with a stack of papers and began passing them out. "These are the tournament brackets," Hyuga stated. "Our first opponent, as you can see, is Shinkyo Academy."

As Hyuga continued to explain about Shinkyo Academy, Kuroko scanned the piece of paper he had received. He bit his lip when his eyes fell on a certain school on the list. "Shutoku," he muttered under his breath quietly. The image of a tall, green-haired girl appeared in his mind; as she had been the last time Kuroko had seen her. She had a proud, almost arrogant look on her face, with a frown of irritation as decoration. Her eyes behind her glasses were narrow and dark. In her hand, she held a black, leather-bound book. The sight was so familiar that it hurt and Kuroko winced involuntarily. Luckily for Kuroko, it went unnoticed.

"There are so many teams," Kawahara commented, frowning. "Wait, there's a second page?!"

"For the qualification rounds, there are four blocks from A to D," Izuki began to explain. "The winners in those blocks qualify for the final league. In the final league, the three best teams get chosen for the Interhigh tournament." Izuki paused, frowning visibly. "It's a competition where only 1% of the schools can get into; that is the Interhigh tournament."

"You're wrong about one thing," Kagami called out. Izuki glanced at him with surprise, his eyebrows knitting together. "They're not chosen...they win it." This earned Kagami a few grins and a couple pats on the back. He grinned back, a fire flickering in his dark red eyes and adrenaline coursing through him, a sign that Kagami could hardly contain his excitement. He didn't realize that Kuroko was staring at him, an astonished light in his cyan eyes, and a spark within that endless blue; a spark of admiration.

Furihata raised his hand and Hyuga nodded to him. "But...there's no problem, right?" the first year asked slowly. "I mean, Seirin was able to get to the final league last year and with Kagami on the team— ."

A dark look crossed Hyuga's face for a second and he shook his head. "No. That's a naïve way of thinking. It's a tournament; if we lose, we're completely out of the game." He clenched his fist tightly. "It's not a practice match."

There were dark looks on all the second year's faces, causing all the first years to shudder. Kuroko stared at those faces, a pang of pain in his heart. He knew those expressions; he had seen them on his own face before. It was the face of defeat.

Feeling a sense of insecurity, Furihata changed the subject. "By the way, where's the coach gone off to?" As if on cue, the doors of the gymnasium slammed open and the said brunette entered. An irritated look was on her face and she grumbled inaudibly to herself.

"Are you okay?" Hyuga asked as Aida stomped over. "What happened? You went to check Shinkyo out, right?"

"I'll explain in full detail later," Aida muttered. "But for now, look at this." Aida shoved her phone under Hyuga's nose and he jumped with shock, gasping with amazement. The other players gathered around him, similar expressions on astonishment on their faces. Kuroko and Kagami walked over, both remaining indifferent even after seeing the picture.

"Papa Mbaye Siki. 2 meters. 87 kg. An exchange student from Senegal," Aida answered the unspoken question. "Simply put, he's tall."

"So?" Kagami asked, raising an eyebrow. "Does that matter?"

Aida glared at the red-head angrily. "Yes, it does! At this rate, we're going to lose in our first match!" she spat, blood rising to her head. Those words left an unsettling atmosphere inside the gym. The boys exchanged worrying glances with each other. Kagami frowned, narrowing his eyes at the blunt statement.

Aida cleared her throat, calming herself. "Which is why," she spoke quietly. "Kagami! You have special training from tomorrow! The Interhigh preliminaries are on the 18th! Until then, I won't give you even a second to rest! Got it?!"

"Yeah!" the team shouted back in approval, although there was a wavering note in the response.

"Got it?!" Aida shouted again, this time receiving a more positive response. She smiled at the cheers and shouts that followed. Her eyes scanned the group and she glared at Kagami who simply glared back at her. "Now, hurry up and practice!" she ordered, keeping her eyes on Kagami. As the group dissipated, Aida's eyes landed on the boy who remained.

The teal-haired boy stood, frowning slightly as he held the tournament bracket. For a while he remained, as though in deep contemplation until he finally looked up to see Aida. Aida flinched upon seeing the cloudy look in the boy's eyes. Aida suddenly remembered how she had heard of a policy in Teiko that made winning an obligation. She walked over and put a comforting hand on the teal-haired boy's shoulder. "Don't worry, alright?" she smiled encouragingly. Kuroko stared at her blankly and nodded automatically, his movements imperceptibly robotic.

Satisfied with his response, Aida turned to walk away again. However, she stopped when Kuroko called out, "Coach?" She glanced inquisitively over her shoulder at the teal-haired boy, who stood staring at her, a conflicting expression on his face. She waited for a few moments, frowning at his silence.

Finally, the teal-haired boy shook his head. "I'm sorry, it's nothing," he said before running off towards the basketball court. For some reason, Aida felt a pang of pain in her heart but she chose to ignore it.

* * *

><p>"It's time!" Aida shouted. The Seirin team looked expectantly at their coach who smiled confidently back at them. "Let's go!"<p>

The Seirin team trooped forward as they headed for their first match, towards their first opponents; Shinkyo Gakuen and their most formidable player. The Seirin team acted as if it were any ordinary day. Izuki spouted out his nonsensical jokes, Hyuga attempted to stop him, Aida cheered from the front and Mitobe remained silent. It was the picture of normality and nothing was amiss.

Kagami grinned at the sounds, feeling his blood rush through his ears. There were dark circles under his eyes from his lack of sleep. He had stayed up all night, tossing and turning with excitement, like a grade schooler before a field trip. He walked with confidence and pride, but he fidgeted as he walked, trying to keep in all the excess energy he had. He was ready. They were ready.

It was only about a fifteen minute walk to the official stadium at which the first matches would be held. Once the Seirin team arrived, they observed the Shinkyo players already warming up on the court. However, a certain tall player was missing from the group. After changing and depositing their bags nearby, the Seirin players began to warm up. A few of the Seirin players shot glances at the Shinkyo players, wondering when their overly tall companion would arrive.

A few minutes later, a loud thump accompanied by an 'ow' caused everyone to look towards the doors of the gym. There, they saw one Papa Mbaye Siki in his full glory. "Everything is so low in Japan," the tall player grumbled with a deep accent in his voice. The sight of Papa was astonishing; nothing that Aida had said would have stopped their surprise upon seeing Papa. The Seirin team watched as the Shinkyo players chastised the tall, foreign player for his lateness.

One of the Shinkyo players noticed their stares and grinned at them. "So, you're Seirin, huh?" he called out as he walked over to them. "I'm Tanimura Yusuke, captain of Shinkyo Academy's basketball team," he added as an afterthought.

"Yeah...nice to meet you," Hyuga muttered back uncertainly.

"I heard you lost against Kaijo, huh?" Tanimura asked, chuckling to himself. "It must have been hard on you. Well, you'll have a hard time beating us then."

Kagami frowned, moving towards Tanimura. "What's that supposed to mean?" he growled angrily. Hyuga held out an arm, holding Kagami back. They could all smell the excessive arrogance on the brunette in front of them. It wasn't worth getting wound up about.

"You'll see," Tanimura replied, laughing to himself. "Nice meeting you," he grinned, walking back towards Papa. Kagami glared at the retreating figures of the two Shinkyo players, his eyebrows knitting together. Fury seeped into his blood and he pushed Hyuga's arm away with irritation. Kagami was about to turn away when he heard Papa run into someone.

Papa glanced around himself before looking down to see Kuroko. Kuroko stared upwards at Papa, feeling an overwhelming feeling. He felt like an ant below a stomping foot that was about to crush him. It was the feeling he had once received when...when he had run into Murasakibara. Kuroko shivered at the thought, the memory attacking his nerves. However, he got brought out of his thoughts when Papa picked him up. Like a child.

"It's not good, little one," Papa said. "Kids aren't allowed on the court." He literally thought Kuroko was a child.

Tanimura glanced upwards and tried to suppress his laughter. Between choking sounds, Tanimura shouted to Papa. "No—Papa, that's—one of—our opponents!" he gasped out before letting laughter overcome him.

Papa turned to stare at Kuroko, eyes widening. "A player," he muttered as he put Kuroko back down on the floor. "Do they think they can win against us with kids on their team? Are all these players kids?" Papa complained as he walked off with Tanimura.

Kuroko ignored the laughter around him, remembering the first time he had met the purple-haired center of the Generation of Miracles.

_"Aka-chin, who is that?" Murasakibara asked, tilting her head slightly. She held a bag of chips in her hand, holding it protectively against her chest._

_"Oh, this is Kuroko Tetsuya," Akashi introduced Kuroko who was standing beside her. "Kuroko, this is Murasakibara Atsuko. One of my teammates. She's in the same grade as you, obviously."_

_Kuroko blinked curiously but bowed politely to the taller female. "It's a pleasure to meet you," he said quietly, feeling inferior to the purple-haired girl. Murasakibara simply stared at Kuroko before picking him up by the arms._

_"Aka-chin~" Murasakibara looked over Kuroko at Akashi. "Are you sure he's not younger than us? He's so small. He's like a child..."_

_"I would appreciate it if you put me down," Kuroko stated nonchalantly, to which Akashi chuckled with amusement. Murasakibara refused to comply to Kuroko's request, so Kuroko had to spend another five minutes suspended in midair until the purple-haired girl put him down out of her own free will._

_"Nice to meet you, Kuro-chin," she said before walking away, leaving a trail of crumbs behind._

Kuroko suddenly felt sick, sick with pain and grief. He strode over to Aida, biting his lip and casting a shadow over his cyan eyes. "Um...Aida-san?" he asked quietly.

Aida jumped, surprised by Kuroko's sudden appearance. "Yes?" she asked as calmly as she could, calming her shaken nerves.

"May I be excused for a while? I feel sick," Kuroko muttered. He stared at his shoes, the sickening feeling growing in his stomach. He needed to get out, _now._ Aida opened her mouth to argue that the game was about to start, but seeing the dark look on Kuroko's face, she swallowed and nodded in approval.

Kuroko dashed out of the gymnasium, his heart pounding in his chest as he ran through the hallway and into the bathroom. Seeing that no one was there, Kuroko rested his hands on the porcelain rim of the sink, the sickening feeling dissipating slowly. He turned the tap on, letting the cool water run down his hands. He splashed water on his pale face, letting the cold droplets trickle down to his neck.

Remembering everything hurt. He should have changed, he should have put it behind himself once he joined the Seirin basketball team. As if that would take all of his problems away. He wasn't even any use to the basketball team. He was simply there. Was he really powerless in the face of the Generation of Miracles? What could he do?

_"I will beat the Generation of Miracles,"_ the words came back to him. It was an empty promise, to remain unfulfilled. Unless...Kuroko stared at his hands, the memories returning to him. The bright lights overhead, the pristine court beneath him, the fleeting feeling of the ball against his hand, and the sound of the ball flying away.

What could he do?

Meanwhile on the court, Aida glanced worriedly towards the door Kuroko had disappeared behind. She turned away as the whistle blew, resolving to focus on the game. The ball flew up into the air between Papa and Kagami. The Interhigh preliminaries had begun.

* * *

><p>"Shinkyo starts with the ball!" Kagami grimaced as he turned to face Papa. "I won't let you," he growled, but the other player remained indifferent. Papa crouched, making Kagami's eyes widen. <em>'A jump shot?! No fakes?'<em>

Kagami jumped but the ball soared above his fingertips and fell into the basket. Kagami fumed, but Hyuga simply shouted to him, "Don't worry, we'll get them back!"

At that moment, Hyuga received the ball from Izuki. _'Free!' _he thought, jumping to take a shot. It was only afterwards that he saw Papa in front of him, but more shocking was that the tall player simply jumped and caught the ball in his hand.

"Hey! That's so unfair!" the Seirin freshmen yelled from their bench.

Tanimura grinned at the catcalls and turned to look at Hyuga. "Ah, are you guys one of those people as well? The people who say using a foreign player is unfair?" Hyuga remained silent, staring at the freshmen who were still shouting. "We just have to get the ball to that guy and we'll win! It's as simple as that," Tanimura continued. "There's nothing in the rules against it."

Hyuga shrugged, blinking his eyes nonchalantly. "Well, I have nothing against it. After all, I know a couple of crazy players too, you'll see," he glanced at Kagami. "But...I'm sure there are worse." Tanimura blinked with incomprehension as Hyuga walked off.

It was only later that Tanimura realized that Papa's accuracy was dropping. "What?" the Shinkyo player muttered with incomprehension. "Papa! What's wrong?!"

Papa didn't answer as he received the ball again. He attempted to shoot but the ball bounced off of the hoop once more and into the hands of the Seirin team. Papa could feel the source of his pressure behind him, in the form of Kagami Taiga. Kagami grinned upwards at Papa, only infuriating the tall player even further.

Aida smiled joyfully to herself at the scene before her. _'As long as Kagami keeps Papa from doing what he wants, we can stop him. The Shinkyo team's reliance of Papa will lead to their demise.'_

"Seems like that foreign player wasn't much after all," someone said from the stands. Tanimura gritted his teeth in anger and frustration. '_Easy for you to say," _he thought._ "The pressure is insane down here. The way that red-haired guy always gets in the way and that fierce, crazy look in his eyes...like some sort of tiger. It's not just any type of pressure.' _Tanimura glanced in Hyuga's direction, eyes narrowing. '_Is this what that guy meant by knowing some crazy guys?'_

The buzzer rang, signaling the end of the first quarter. Seirin was leading by four points. As the Seirin team returned to their bench, Aida smiled proudly at them. She slapped Kagami on the back, grinning with confidence. "Good job, guys! Keep it up! Especially you Kagami! You're the—" Aida's words died in her throat as she saw the frustrated look on Kagami's face.

Kagami glanced at Aida and shook his head. "I know," he stated simply before picking up his water bottle and draining its contents. He knew but he felt a burning feeling inside of him. He wanted to stop Papa. Not just keep him from scoring, no, Kagami wouldn't be satisfied, until he blocked one of Papa's shots. "I will," Kagami said to himself through gritted teeth. "I will stop one of that guy's shots."

However, when the Seirin players returned to the court, Papa was more energized than before. Kagami realized as Papa jumped that the tall Shinkyo player was actually getting serious now. The red-head grinned at the challenge he faced. And it was only the first match.

Despite Kagami's intense pressure, Papa was still able to block Seirin's shots. Aida watched from the sidelines, her eyes widening as she watched the gap in the scores were decreasing. The Shinkyo team had finally realized that relying on Papa was not a good tactic. Aida watched as Tanimura shot a successful three pointer, a small smirk on his face. The score was at a tie now.

The sound of the buzzer from far away reached Kuroko's ears. Kuroko stepped out of the bathroom and headed back towards the gym, opening the doors slightly. The scoreboard caught his eyes and he frowned as he realized that Seirin was six points behind. Kuroko bit his lip as he returned to the bench, plopping down next to Aida. Aida looked up and her eyes widened when she saw Kuroko.

"Are you okay?" she asked. "Why are you wet?"

Kuroko shook his head, staring at the scoreboard intensely As if trying to change the scores by staring at it. The Seirin team returned to the bench, sweating from the continuous plays.

Aida tapped her lips with her forefinger, analyzing the players with her eyes. She frowned as she glanced towards the other team. she stood as the players collapsed on to the bench and she turned to face them. "I'm sure that you can get back at them during the second half," Aida muttered. "But it's not a positive win, and it's a risky game out there. We've put down all our cards and so have they, but they have an overwhelming advantage against us," she nodded her head in Papa's direction. Aida stopped there, unable to continue. She had nothing. There was nothing else to say, nothing to do that would make sure of Seirin's victory. She didn't want to put everything in the hands of luck.

Kuroko looked at Aida's conflicted expression, then back down at his hand. He stared at all of their hands; Aida's hand that had pushed him forward, Kagami's that he had bumped fists with, Hyuga's hand that extended towards him. Kuroko looked at his own weak hand and he remembered the rough texture of the basketball against his hand. His team needed him now. What was there to hide? Why did he need to hide? He was going to do it. He was going to beat the Generation of Miracles. Why should he hide from them, then?

Kuroko clenched his hand into a fist and stared upwards at Aida. "Coach, everyone," he said quietly. "Can I ask you a favor?"

The Seirin team blinked at the sudden statement. Aida blinked with curiosity and answered slightly uncertainly. "Umm...okay," she said, gesturing to Kuroko to speak.

"I know this will sound absurd, but...can you please put me on during the next quarter?" He said it. Kuroko kept his cyan orbs on Aida, ignoring the shocked faces around him. Aida stared back, mouth slightly open, russet eyes completely blank.

The first person to recover was Hyuga. "What?! But—" he shouted incomprehensibly until Kuroko interrupted him.

"I would like to show you something," Kuroko stated shortly and enigmatically. The incredulous expressions of his teammates gave him an unsettling feeling, but he continued. "I want to show you something that I learned a long time ago—when I was in Teiko." Kuroko kept his eyes on Aida, almost pleading with her. He couldn't describe anything and it was beyond his abilities to explain his past, but he didn't want to hide it any longer. It was what he could do for Seirin, not what Seirin could do for him, and he knew exactly what he could do now.

"Fine," Aida nodded, pursing her lips at the decision she was making. "But I hope you have something worth seeing." As the other regulars were about to argue, the buzzer blew for the start of the game. "Switch with Koganei-kun," Aida ordered Kuroko who nodded. That was the first time that she noticed the black wristband that Kuroko was wearing.

Kagami glanced at Kuroko, his eyebrows knitting together. He didn't know what Kuroko meant about Teiko. _'He said he hadn't played basketball before now,' _Kagami thought as Kuroko stepped on to the court._ 'So why is he playing now? What is coach thinking?!'_

The whistle blew and Papa took the ball once again. Taking advantage of Kagami's wavering thoughts, he passed by Kagami and easily scored two points for Shinkyo. Kagami growled, running a hand through his hair and attempting to regain his concentration.

When Kagami received the ball, he turned to find Papa towering over him. Kagami searched for a way through but none presented themselves. Kagami opted to passing to one of the other players, but Kagami saw none of them free. Kagami continued to dribble the ball by his side, clenching his teeth.

Suddenly, he saw Kuroko on the side, unguarded and with ready hands. Kagami almost snorted at the idea, but seeing as the best option lay with Kuroko, Kagami passed the ball to him. Kagami blinked, but then the ball had disappeared from where it had hurtled towards Kuroko. "What?!" Kagami shouted. "Defense?!"

Kagami heard the buzzer, showing that someone had scored. Kagami looked behind himself but he saw none of the Shinkyo players there. He turned back to realize that it was Seirin that had scored. Kagami looked to Kuroko, his red eyes widening. "What..." he said softly to himself.

"What was that?! It's like the pass changed its course by itself!" the people in the stadium shouted. "Didn't it?" someone else shouted from nearby. Kagami kept his eyes on Kuroko, trying to get his head around the situation. "Kuroko?" he asked quietly.

On the sidelines, Aida stared at Kuroko, mouth open wide. Her eyes seemed to soften as she watched Kuroko straighten up. "He really is..." Aida said to herself, letting herself smile. Her suspicions had been true after all.

_'He really is the Phantom Sixth Man of the Generation of Miracles.'_

* * *

><p>"What?! Seirin?! What about them?!" the power forward of Kaijo, Hayakawa, shouted loudly. The players in the Kaijo gym stopped and stared in Hayakawa's direction, slightly worried but interested by his sudden outburst. Kise, who was practicing her shooting at the time, frowned at the rude interruption. However, she felt a definite spark of interest when she heard the word 'Seirin.' She was aware that Seirin had won their first match, however, whatever Hayakawa was shouting about seemed to relate to something else. She tilted her head as she listened in on the conversation.<p>

"Keep it down," Kasamatsu hissed, waving away the people who were staring at them. "It's not important. It's just a rumor."

Hayakawa frowned and spoke a little more quietly. "Then, what is it?"

Kasamatsu glanced around at the other regulars around him. "There was this rumor about Seirin that started after their first match. I'm...not really aware about the details, but people are saying that there's this 'phantom player' on their team."

Kobori, Kaijo's center, frowned at the statement. "What is this 'phantom player'?" he asked.

"I don't know," Kasamatsu shrugged nonchalantly. "They say he's this invisible player, that's all. I don't think it matters though. We know it isn't true, I mean, we played against Seirin before."

"Then again, a new person could have joined their team," Kobori pointed out.

Kasamatsu sighed and shook his head. "It's just a rumor, that's all. Nothing to worry about."

All the while, Kise had been half-listening to their quiet conversation. As she picked up a stray basketball, their words started to sink in. _'Phantom player.' 'Invisible.' 'Seirin.' _Kise released the ball from her hands but it fell short, hitting the rim of the hoop. The sound of the ball bouncing off the metal rim echoed throughout the gym, as if it were the only sound there was. The sound was unusually loud and Kasamatsu blinked inquiringly in Kise's direction.

Kise stood, hands dangling by her side. She stared at the basketball hoop, an incredulous expression on her face. "It can't..." she murmured to herself as she walked off the court and towards the bench. She collapsed on to it, feeling an ache in her head as she thought it through. _'Why would Kurokocchi join the basketball team? It's not possible. He hates basketball. That's the only reason why he would have quit during Teiko. Even so...a phantom player...there's no one else. No, it isn't true. It's just a rumor.'_

"It's just a rumor," she muttered to herself, picking up her cellphone from her bag. Even though she thought...even though she _knew_ it was rumor...even so...

**From: **Kise

**Subject:** Rumor

**[** Hey Midorimacchi. Sorry to disturb you. I was wondering, have you heard the rumor about Seirin? **]**

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>Kuroko no Basuke rightfully belongs to Fujimaki Tadatoshi. The characters in this story do not belong to me. I only own this piece itself and the plotline. Any similar works are purely coincidental.

**Author's Note: **I sincerely apologize for having been unable to update this past month. I've had so much school work that I had no time to rest. Okay, that's an exaggeration, but I didn't have time to write. Or maybe I was too lazy. *gets hit* Anyways, this is an extra long chapter and it was difficult to write, with all the things I had to take into account. The word count just kept rising...

I've been seeing things about people wanting a pairing. I suppose it could be an option. The problem is I'm going to have an all out war with myself with the pairing, so I would like to ask your opinion. Do you want a pairing?

Putting that aside, thank you to all of you who reviewed, liked and followed. Thanks to all of you who are looking at this, even though I've been a very unfaithful writer. Thank you. And 50+ followers! I never thought it would've happened! I think I can die in peace now. Now, I'm just going to collapse and go to sleep. Until next time!


	8. Chapter 7- I will make you my light

**Chapter 7 : "I will make you my light"**

Per usual, the Seirin basketball team was undergoing their rigorous training menu that afternoon. A few days passed since their victory against the arrogant and overconfident Shinkyo Academy and their star player Papa Mbaye Siki, now dubbed 'Dad' as an act of mockery. Despite their efforts, the Shinkyo team fell to defeat with a score of 67 to 74. There were two key factors that pushed Seirin to victory, neither too difficult to recognize. One, was the ace of the Seirin team, Kagami Taiga and his supreme jumping abilities, but it was the other that turned heads and became murmured rumors between the people who were present that day.

It was an old rumor that many forgot as time passed. Most people were certainly aware of the famous "Generation of Miracles" that were the indestructible team of Teiko Middle School, but during their second year in Teiko, a strange rumor settled about them. Nearly all of those who heard the rumor dismissed it as an attention-seeking conversation or a creative story, simply because there was no concrete evidence to support it. Even so, against common sense, the rumor spread like wildfire and went like a contagious disease to other schools. A few fellow basketball players chattered about having faced the rumored person. Then again, there were no records of such a person participating, moreover existing. Many people forgot the rumor, but some still remember him; the Phantom Sixth Man of the Generation of Miracles.

But now, the same rumor was the center of discussion all around, and none of it escaped the Seirin team's ears. Due to the rumor, none of them; both freshmen and upperclassmen alike, couldn't fully concentrate on practicing. Their movements were sloppy and they started fumbling because they constantly glanced towards the locker rooms to see if Kuroko was there, but nothing of the sort happened. It was also why the coach fumed with anger.

The whistle blew sharply in their ears, earlier than any of them had expected it to. With surprise, the team trudged back towards the bench to rest. Aida tapped her foot irritably against the wooden floor, clucking her tongue in annoyance every once in a while. Suddenly, Aida slammed her clipboard down, shouting out "That's it!" in a fit of exasperation. The team members watched silently, wondering what was going on through their coach's head.

"Kagami," Aida snapped. The red-haired player stared at his coach, an eyebrow raised in question. "Go find Kuroko-kun," she ordered.

Kagami's red eyes widened and he frowned. "If he's skipping, then that's his choice. It doesn't concern me. I want to practice."

"Cancelled," Aida said simply, her tone dripping sweetly like honey. Hyuga glanced at Kagami, his expression fearful, begging with his eyes for Kagami to listen to Aida. Kagami ignored him and continued to glare at Aida.

Aida began tapping her foot again. "Hurry up," she muttered quietly. "Do you want me to double your training menu?"

As much as Kagami wanted to practice, he did not want extra work. Even so, he couldn't understand why him of all people needed to do such a troublesome thing. He needed to practice, but they were wasting their time with finding Kuroko. Kuroko wasn't even important anyway. A voice in his head whispered that wasn't true and he knew it wasn't. What Kuroko had done the other day was exceptional, beyond the ordinary in its own way. The auburn-haired player knew why they had to find Kuroko but a part of him refused to oblige to the request. He had thought that they were friends; despite being a strange pair, but he realized how little he understood Kuroko, and it irritated him beyond belief.

"No," Kagami spat, blood rising to his head. Every time he thought about Kuroko, he suddenly became annoyed.

"What was that? Did you say triple everyone's training menus?" Aida asked kindly, smiling cheerfully. At this, Hyuga and Izuki jumped up and dragged Kagami out of the gym. Kagami, who got caught off guard, was unable to retaliate, and he was promptly kicked out of the gym, his bag flying outside after him. When Kagami tried to get in, he saw that they had locked the gymnasium. Grumbling with anger and kicking at everything he saw, Kagami began to search for Kuroko.

Sighing with relief Hyuga stretched and turned to the rest of the team. "Well, I guess we should go change now," he called out to them.

"Wait a minute," a dark voice said at his shoulder. Hyuga turned to see one irritated Aida Riko, gritting her teeth and smiling widely at the same time. "What do you mean? You still have your tripled training menus. You better start now or you might not get home tonight."

Everyone in the room began to sweat with fear. Aida, still smiling, added in an even sweeter voice. "And if I see any of you slacking off, expect hell tomorrow." That's when the screaming started, but since it was quite natural for the Seirin basketball team, not many people took notice of it.

* * *

><p>Kagami trudged along the streets, staring straight ahead with no purpose in his mind. After hastily changing into his uniform again, he had begun his search for Kuroko. Of course, Kagami understood the difficulty in that feat. How had he not noticed it before? The abnormal lack of presence in Kuroko was something to question, but to think it had uses in basketball was astounding to Kagami.<p>

Kagami's stomach growled and he chewed his lip with irritation. He glanced behind himself, expecting to see his demon coach following him, but after making sure that she was not, he ducked into the nearby fast food store. Kagami's mind worked as he stood in line. His thoughts immediately wandered to Kuroko and the Generation of Miracles. Having heard the rumors himself, Kagami felt intrigue over Kuroko's reluctance to talk about his past relationship with the Miracles. If, as many said, Kuroko was the Phantom Sixth Player, why was he in Seirin? With the 'talent' he had, wouldn't it have been more suitable for him to go to another veteran school? So, why Seirin?

What was more important in Kagami's mind, however, was the fact that Kuroko had lied to him. He wasn't being a total dramatic about it, but he couldn't understand the motive for hiding it. Why had Kuroko lied to him about playing basketball, but still entered the basketball team afterwards? None of it made sense to Kagami and he resolved to ask once he found Kuroko; if he found him that is.

Kagami sat down with a tray of burgers in hand. He picked one up and unwrapped it, munching it greedily. He was in the process of finishing his first burger when a soft voice spoke to him. "Good evening Kagami-kun."

Kagami jumped at the voice, a shiver running down his spine. He blinked his red eyes to see Kuroko sitting in front of him, nonchalantly sipping a drink. The baby blue-haired boy stared back at Kagami as if he had been there already.

"What are you doing here?!" Kagami almost shouted, banging the table with his fist. "More like, why are you sitting with me?!"

Kuroko shrugged. "I was here first," he stated simply, taking another sip from his drink. Kagami fumed with anger, tearing open another wrapper. He chewed on it irritably, his eyes flicking back to Kuroko.

Finally, Kagami spoke gruffly. "Why are you skipping practice? Coach was angry, you know." A glint appeared in Kuroko's eyes and Kagami furrowed his eyebrows at the slight show of emotion.

Kuroko put down his drink, toying with the straw as if he suddenly felt sick. "I—" Kuroko's breath hitched softly. "I don't really know. I just didn't feel like it."

"What do you mean you didn't feel like it?" Kagami spat. "Our team was going to die because of you!"

Kuroko tilted his head in inquiry and shook his head afterwards. "I just wanted some privacy, that's all."

"It's not like any of us would have bothered you," Kagami pitched in, but stopped, realizing that what he said wasn't true at all. Kagami knew for sure that if Kuroko had come to practice, he would've been the center of attention. More importantly, Kuroko would have ended up with Aida interrogating him, which could have had disastrous results. Which reminded Kagami...

"Why didn't you tell me? I mean, are you really the Phantom Sixth Player?" Kagami asked suddenly, his red eyes narrowing. _'Don't you trust me?' _he thought. _'Did I do something? What's going on?'__  
><em>

Kuroko stared out the window, resting his chin on his hand. His cyan orbs flickered towards Kagami, an emotionless blue void of thoughts. Kuroko tore his eyes away from the window, as if he had concluded something. He stood, pushing his chair back, and beckoned for Kagami to follow him. Kagami was about to protest but Kuroko grabbed his leftover burgers and began to walk off with them. Kagami ran after the blue-haired boy as he left the shop and started to walk down the street.

Kagami caught up to him easily but Kuroko continued to walk without acknowledging his presence. "Can I have my food back?" Kagami glared at Kuroko who continued walking. "Hello? Kuroko? Can you hear me?" Kuroko simply trudged along as if he were deaf to the world. "Kuroko!" Kagami shouted into his ear but the boy didn't even flinch.

Kuroko stopped and turned to stare at Kagami. The auburn-haired male looked around and realized that they were at the public basketball court; where they first met. Kuroko handed the burgers back to Kagami and sat down on the same bench they had sat before. The blunette stared at the ground, his eyes focused on the intricate lines on the court and the metal fence that bordered it. Kagami grudgingly sat himself beside the blue-head, staring intently at the other boy. _'What does he want?' _Kagami thought to himself. _'What is he thinking? I can never understand, he's always like a blank slate, but what is he really?'_

"Kagami-kun," Kuroko said softly, lifting his head to look at the red-head. Without waiting for a reply, Kuroko continued. "It's true. I am the Phantom Sixth Player of the Generation of Miracles." Kagami's eyes widened a fraction at Kuroko's sudden honesty. "That's why, in a way, I know them the best," Kuroko stated in that quiet, unwavering voice of his.

"So?" Kagami asked. "What exactly do you want to tell me? Their weaknesses?"

Kuroko's stare increased in intensity, but Kagami didn't feel uncomfortable. He waited expectantly for the shorter boy to speak, but when he did, Kagami felt a wave of shock come over him. "I know that you want to beat the Generation of Miracles," the bluenette said. "But even with your abilities, I think it's impossible."

"Wha—" Kagami began to protest, but Kuroko silenced him with his next words.

"When I was in Teiko, I was a shadow that supported the light. The stronger the light, the darker the shadow. That's what they told me. The Generation of Miracles were my lights and I supported them from behind. I said that you alone would be unable to beat them. You should already know that, after you faced Kise-san. However, I think there is a way," Kuroko stopped, at which point Kagami frowned in question. "Kagami-kun, I will make you my light and I will support you so that you will be the best in Japan."

Kagami almost fell over at the proposition, but he already felt a surge of strength from Kuroko's words. "Alright then," Kagami grinned. "Let's do this!" He held out a fist to Kuroko. The blunette stared at it for a moment; a single second of hesitation, before bumping his fist with Kagami's.

"Yes," Kuroko replied. It was almost the same situation all over again, but it didn't bother Kagami, because he was sure that this time there were no secrets between them. He temporarily forgot about how Kuroko had hidden these things from him and Kagami completely forgot to ask what made Kuroko lie to him in the first place.

When Kuroko and Kagami went to practice the next day, they saw lots of corpses scattered around the gym floor. Before they could receive an explanation, Aida appeared behind the two of them, a devilish expression on her face. "You had a lot of nerve...skipping practice yesterday," her voice sounded sweet and cheerful, but her expression didn't match her tone at all. Kagami gulped but Kuroko remained impassive in the face of the devil.

"Get ready for practice," she smirked at which point the corpses (the Seirin basketball team) revived and started screaming. Kagami felt the urge to run away but before he knew it, Aida had locked the gym door. Nothing had changed. The team was as they always were. There were no differences in their treatment of Kuroko and it was clear to Kagami how surprised the shorter boy was.

"Come on," Kagami said gruffly, patting Kuroko on the back. Kuroko only nodded, but there was a ghost of a smile on his face. Like the time they had first met and Kagami forgot about the past all over again. Aida turned back to look at them and smiled appreciatively.

There was no going back now, and the Interhigh preliminaries continued.

During the second round, Seirin High won against Jitsuzen High with a score of 118 to 51. Kagami crushed his opponents, scoring 40 points and with the second years all in top condition from their excessive training. Kuroko was on the bench from the beginning to end. At the third round against Kinga High, Seirin won 92 to 71. What was more, Kuroko was kept on the bench for the entirety of the game.

And then, Seirin High headed for the fourth round of the Interhigh preliminaries with high hopes and confident hearts, but they were in for more than just a competitive basketball game.

* * *

><p>"Come on, it's time!" Takao Kazunari called through the door of the separate locker room. The other Shutoku players stood nearby, chatting indifferently as they waited for their last player to appear. "Let's go, Shin-chan!" Takao almost whined at the door.<p>

The door slammed open, almost smacking Takao in the face. Luckily, Otsubo Taisuke, the captain of the Shutoku team, pulled Takao out of harm's way just in time. Midorima stood at the door, glaring at almost everyone there with her light green eyes behind her square glasses. In her taped, left hand, she gripped a small teddy bear. Her short, apple green hair hung over her ears, swaying in place. "Don't call me that," Midorima growled to Takao, eyes narrowing more than usual.

Takao was about to reply but Otsubo gestured to the two of them. They all began to walk, Takao slowing his pace to walk next to Midorima. For a while, neither of them said anything, until Takao piped up. "Did you hear? Seirin crushed their opponents; 108 to 41!"

"Why should I care?" Midorima asked, frowning at the word Seirin. She could hardly comprehend how Takao's mind worked as he said things that weren't relevant at times.

"Because—" Takao hesitated before saying, "Isn't one of your teammates at Seirin?"

Midorima snapped up at the question and turned to glare at Takao. "He _isn't _at Seirin!" she said in an unusually loud voice, at which their upperclassmen turned to look at them. Midorima cleared her throat and let out a sigh.

"Why do you know exactly who I'm talking about then? I didn't say it was a he," Takao pointed out, smirking teasingly. Midorima simply continued to glare at him as she began to hear the shouts and cheers of people. Suddenly, with a burst of daylight, the stands and the court appeared in front of her. The familiar sight of the court didn't soothe her; it only irritated her further. The cheers of her fellow Shutoku players made her head throb.

"Hey, look! I heard they're especially strong this year!" someone shouted in the stands. "It's the King of the East; Shutoku High!" At that, the cheering increased and Midorima saw the Shutoku banner flapping over the edge of the stands. 'Indomitable Spirit.' Those words were so familiar to her and she knew how true they were. _'Winning is everything,' _she thought to herself pridefully.

_"Then, I won't play basketball anymore..." _A voice said in her head. Midorima's eyes widened but she shook the voice out of her head.

Takao nudged her in the arm, nodding at an auburn-haired boy who was making his way towards them. He wore a Seirin uniform and was glaring at her with dark red eyes. From his appearance, Midorima immediately associated the red-head with Kagami Taiga as Kise had described him. _"He had red hair, dark red eyes and a tiger's intensity. He kind of reminds me of Aomine, but don't worry, he's nowhere near her in strength. Honestly, he's just a disappointment."_

"Yo," Kagami grinned at Midorima. "You're Midorima Shinju, right?"

"Yes," Midorima answered carefully. "But, who are you?" Takao smirked uncertainly at her but she ignored him.

Kagami didn't respond, but he reached out a hand to her. Midorima, frowning, reached out her hand as well, thinking it was a handshake. She frowned when she didn't feel anything, but when she looked down her eyes widened. On her hand, Kagami had written 'Seirin, Number 10, Kagami Taiga.'

"What?!" Midorima stared scornfully at Kagami.

Kagami shrugged his shoulders and grinned with amusement. "Because, you seemed like the type of person that won't remember people's names. I have to make sure you remember it...after all, I'm going to beat you and your team this year."

Midorima almost snorted at the remark. "How stupid," she adjusted her glasses on her nose.

Takao moved forward towards Kagami, a grin on his face. "Don't you know anything?" he asked. "You know Seirin got crushed by the three kings last year with a tripled score?" Kagami's eyes widened at the revelation and he turned to glance at his teammates, who only looked sadly back at him.

"History is bound to repeat itself," Midorima stated quietly. "The difference between you and us is overwhelming." The teddy bear that Midorima had been holding slipped out of her grasp. "There a limit to being naïve."

She was about to bend to pick up the teddy bear when someone else placed it in her hand. "Past results are only predictions," a quiet, monotonous voice said. "You will never know the outcome of a match until you have played it." There was a pause, in which Midorima looked upwards to see a pale figure with baby blue hair walk by. "Midorima-san," the person added, and there was a certain warmth and distance behind those words.

It felt like an arrow had pierced her. The idea was unbelievable, impossible. Midorima turned but the figure was already disappearing with the rest of the Seirin basketball team, but she didn't need to check. She knew that voice, that figure, it was overly familiar to her. There was no other person like him, but what was he doing here? _'I won't play basketball.' _What happened to that?

Midorima was about to run after him. She opened her mouth, the words already leaving her throat. "Kuro—" she began to shout, but a hand on her arm stopped her.

"Come on, Shin-chan! Let's go!" Takao shouted, drowning out her shout. He began to drag her towards their bench, smiling brightly. "Wait, did you say something?" he asked, but Midorima simply shook her head.

Midorima pulled her arm out of Takao's grasp and walked over to Otsubo, pushing her glasses up as she went. "Captain," she said and Takao glanced towards her in acknowledgement. "Please let me play today, after all."

Otsubo blinked, frowning. "I thought you didn't want to play because your horoscope was bad."

Midorima glanced up at the stands, sure that she would see the Seirin team there soon. "I want to make sure that I haven't lost my shooting touch." She needed a distraction. She didn't want to see him there, because it couldn't be true. He quit basketball back then, there was no way he would take it back up. She wanted to forget him, at least for a while.

"Fine," Otsubo sighed with some reluctance. "The coach did ask me to forgive three of your whims a day, but two more and I'll be pissed." Midorima nodded at the comment and turned away, but Otsubo continued to speak.

"As long as you shoot as usual, it'll be fine," he said. "But don't say your horoscope was bad or something if you miss."

Midorima smirked at that, pushing back her green hair. "As if. There's no way I'll miss, because I've got my lucky item for the day."

* * *

><p>Kuroko seated himself in the stands, his blood rushing in his ears. His head almost ached as the repetitive echo of Midorima's voice resonated inside his mind. He tried to shake the voice away, rubbing his temple softly. The fear in his limbs began to slowly dissolve as his heart began to calm down. Kuroko stared at the court, his eyes not really registering what was going on in front of him. His hands were still a little clammy from his meeting with Midorima.<p>

She was as he had remembered him; in appearance at least. She was still the same, proper Midorima Shinju. But just as Kise had been, there was an unmistakable aura of pride and superiority around her. It was like a barrier between the two of them with no cracks in its walls. A small spark of frustration lit in his heart, burning there relentlessly.

Midorima presented herself as a challenge, but Kuroko knew that backing down would have led to failure. As long as he chose to keep his promises, he would not stay still. Following Kagami's example, Kuroko simply took the incentive and spoke out to Midorima; an act which would signal a challenge. Appearing directly in front of his enemies with no fear or shame was his way of declaring war. Now he knew he was a part of the battle between the five Miracles; the battle to the top.

If Kuroko said he was fearless now, that would be a lie. There was still a darker memory in his mind that tried to drag him down. However, the sight of Aida and his teammates, especially Kagami, helped him forward. Kuroko had designated Kagami as his light, but Kuroko knew perfectly well that it was Kagami that was the only light in his life. Kuroko wasn't concerned about his well-being; his team would look after him, and he would do his best to support them from the shadows.

There was one thing that bothered Kuroko though, but he couldn't come to terms with it yet. Nor could he fully understand what it was. He could only hope that it would not affect them all later on.

"Amazing..." Kawahara murmured under his breath. "It's completely different."

Hyuga spoke as his eyes followed the ball being passed around down on the court, "Yeah, it's because they're not making any mistakes. With the ball being passed around at high-speed, it's easy to fumble, but Shutoku doesn't make those kinds of mistakes. They can all run, throw and catch without making mistakes. Simply put, they've mastered the basics. But, more importantly..." Hyuga stopped as he watched Otsubo jump for a rebound and dunk the ball in with a massive force. For a few moments, he was silent. "They've got overwhelming scorers," Hyuga finished.

"But there's more," Aida spoke calculatingly. "Last year, the inside was their strong point and the rest were average. However..." she let the word hang in the air as they continued to watch the game.

Kagami turned to Kuroko, staring at the dazed-looking blunette. "Hey, Kuroko," he muttered. When Kuroko didn't respond, Kagami jabbed his shoulder to get his attention. Kuroko turned, his eyes looking glazed over like ice. "Seems like it's a good day for her too," he stated.

Kuroko blinked at Kagami, wondering what he was talking about. Kuroko suddenly sat up and turned his attentive cyan eyes to the court. A cold sharpness numbed him as he saw the green-haired player standing on the court, waiting at the three-point line.

"Fortify the center," one of the players from the opponent's team shouted. "If we can keep them out from the inside, we can do something!"

"No!" Kuroko shouted, causing Kagami to look at him curiously, but the cheering of the crowd in the stands drowned out Kuroko's voice. Kagami's red eyes widened as he turned to look back at the court. He knew very little about Midorima, but he was aware of one thing._'Midorima Shinju is the number one shooter of the Generation of Miracles!'_

Midorima chuckled, receiving a pass easily. "Is that so? That's why you're weak!" she declared before releasing the ball in a high arc above her head.

"That's insane! What's with that height?" Hyuga got to his feet, staring at the ball flying through the air.

Meanwhile, Midorima turned around, beginning to walk back towards defense. "Come on, Takao," she called to the black-haired male.

Takao rolled his eyes and jogged to catch up to Midorima. "You know I'll get scolded too if you miss," Takao grumbled.

Midorima grinned confidently, pushing her hair back. "As if," she stated, almost glaring at Takao. "I've followed my destiny. I've done what I could," she indicated the teddy bear resting on their bench. "That's why, I will never miss."

"What was that?" Kagami asked Kuroko as the crowds settled down. The rest of the team turned to listen, and despite Kuroko's voice being soft, everyone clearly heard what he said.

"Midorima-san...as long as she's in good condition," Kuroko paused, causing Kagami to gulp with nervousness. The dark look in Kuroko's eyes was scaring him and rarely anything scared him. "...she will score 100% of the time," Kuroko finished on a heavy note. The Seirin players glanced back at the game that had just ended. The scoreboard stood out unnaturally; the score was 153 to 21.

Kuroko felt unsettled by Midorima's performance. He remembered how Kise had improved since he had last seen her play. The same thing should have occurred with Midorima, but, from what Kuroko saw, she hadn't changed at all. Kuroko felt himself shiver, and he knew it wasn't because he was cold. Midorima Shinju was hiding something; a power that far surpassed what she had displayed today. That single thought was enough to make Kuroko want to disappear again, but at the same time, it strengthened his resolve; to save the Miracles.

* * *

><p>Midorima stared at the tournament bracket, her eyes scanning the rows of school names on the sides. Finally, she stopped, staring at the name Seirin. Tracing her finger through the air, she saw the results for their last match. 89-87. Seirin's win. Midorima sighed and shook her head, putting down the piece of paper. "It doesn't matter," she muttered to herself. "It's not like Kuro...it's not like he's there."<p>

The brief image of a blue-haired boy walking away from her appeared in her mind. She sighed again, getting rid of the image immediately. She knew it wasn't true. Kuroko wasn't in Seirin. Kuroko wouldn't take up basketball again. He had no reason to do such a thing. She didn't need Kuroko. Kuroko was useless. There was no Kuroko.

Midorima balled up the paper in her hand and tossed it over her head. It flew across the classroom and landed neatly in the trashcan that stood at the front, next to the empty teacher's desk.

At that moment, Takao dragged the door open. "Shin-chan! What are you doing all alone? Let's go."

Midorima glanced at the trashcan before standing up. "Yeah. Let's leave."

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>Kuroko no Basuke rightfully belongs to Fujimaki Tadatoshi. The characters in this story do not belong to me. I only own this piece itself and the plotline. Any similar works are purely coincidental.

**Author's Note: **Whew! That's done. Thank you so much to all those who read and reviewed the last chapter! Also, thank you to all those who are putting up with me and my late updates. I'm still as busy as ever so please continue bearing with me. Until next time!


	9. Chapter 8- You

**Chapter 8 : "You..."**

Kuroko rummaged through his gym locker, searching for the tournament bracket he had forgotten the previous practice. He was alone in the locker room, which was strangely calming to him. The semi-finals of the Interhigh preliminaries were just around the corner, and the team had been vivacious during their practices. With the added strength of the freshman duo (as people called them), their team had grown considerably stronger.

As Kuroko pulled out the paper in question, a worn ball of paper tucked into the corner of his tidy locker caught his eye. Kuroko reached a hand forward, smoothing out the small piece of paper. He almost dropped it as he saw the old picture printed on it.

Kuroko's eyes closed, though it hardly helped him avoid seeing the photograph. He knew the picture from top to bottom, since it had been one of his favorites. There he was, two years ago, surrounded by his former teammates. Midorima stood in the corner of the photograph, clutching her lucky item and refusing to look into the camera. On the opposite side of the photograph towered Murasakibara, munching on her snacks nonchalantly with a lazy smile on her face. Near her was Akashi, her usual clipboard in her hand and that warm, almost motherly expression on her face. Kise was in between Midorima and Momoi, posing professionally as she usually did. Momoi was clutching on to his, Kuroko's, arm and he...he was looking up towards Aomine who was grinning back at him.

They were all in their team uniforms—except Momoi—and they were all laughing.

Kuroko felt a pang of longing as he stared at the photograph. He contemplated what he should do with the photo, even thinking about simply tucking it back into that tiny corner of his locker. Yet, he had promised himself before. He had resolved to carry out his promise to his friend. He was going to beat the Miracles—not simply because of his promise to Momoi and his longing to see his true friends again—but because he now had Kagami and Seirin with him, and he truly wanted them to rise to victory; so he hoped. Staring at the photo helped strengthen his resolve. It served as a reminder of the past, and a light in the future.

Kuroko glanced around the empty locker room, before going to his bag and rummaging through the books tucked neatly inside. Once he found what he was looking for, he picked up the photograph and turned back to the locker.

Kagami entered the room just as Kuroko finished. At first, the auburn-haired male didn't notice the phantom player. Kuroko shut the locker to gain Kagami's attention. Kagami let out an unearthly scream as he realized Kuroko was in the room.

"I know I'm invisible, but you don't have to scream that much," Kuroko commented monotonously.

"At least tell me you're here!" Kagami shouted. Kuroko laughed inwardly at his light before turning to reach for his bag. It was at that moment that he spotted the disc lying forgotten on the bench. He picked it up carefully, inspecting it.

"What is that?" Kagami asked, trudging over to Kuroko.

Kuroko lifted his cyan eyes to look at Kagami. "It's a recording of one of Seiho's matches," he replied indifferently. Kagami raised an eyebrow before reaching for the disc in its case. Kagami promptly walked over to the DVD player and pushed the disc in before turning on the TV and sitting down on one of the benches facing it. Kuroko's curiosity caused him to walk over to Kagami's side to watch the video.

Kuroko had been fully aware beforehand that Seiho was one of the three kings of Tokyo, not to mention that they were sometimes said to have the best defense in the province. Therefore, Kuroko had not been surprised when he saw that the Seiho players were strong. However, from what he observed in the plays, there was a strange flow to Seiho's plays that couldn't be matched by the opposing team.

As if Kagami had read Kuroko's mind, the auburn-haired player stated, "Their movements are weird." Kuroko nodded in agreement before turning his cyan eyes back to the TV. He focused on one of the players on Seiho's defense and watched as the player marked one of the other team's players. The smirk on the Seiho's defense-man was unnerving to Kuroko. There was complete confidence written on the player's face.

When his mark received the ball, the Seiho player blocked him from moving forward. The other player glanced around and Kuroko observed that no pass course was available. Kuroko waited silently, until the Seiho player stole the ball. Kuroko blinked with recognition and spoke to Kagami, "I know that player." Kagami glanced at Kuroko inquisitively.

"I played against him once, in Teiko," Kuroko continued. "You can say she was still inexperienced then, but this person was still able to stop Kise-san."

"What?" Kagami asked, his surprise obvious. "How?"

Kuroko narrowed his cyan eyes. "We exceeded the 24 second limit, because Kise-san had kept the ball for too long. It seems like his strongest point is defense. I'm not sure but he might even be able to stop one of the Miracles." Kuroko pointed at the screen showing the score; 71 to 12, Seiho's victory.

"In other words...we should keep an eye out for him, right?" Kagami asked, to which Kuroko simply nodded. Kagami grunted, trying to keep his mind off of the recording he had just seen. As much as he appreciated strong opponents, this was not going to be as easy as he thought. Kagami grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder. "Let's go to Maji Burger. I'm starving!"

"Okay," Kuroko responded, leaning over to grab his bag, then realized that he had left something in his locker. Kagami watched from the door as Kuroko opened his locker and took back the tape that was left inside. In that moment, Kagami glimpsed the inside door of the locker; and the photograph taped neatly and preciously on it. For some unknown reason, it irritated Kagami, but at the same time made him curious about the depth of Kuroko's attachment to the Miracles.

* * *

><p>Aida turned off the TV as the recording finished. She turned to face the Seirin players staring at the now blank screen. For a few moments, the upperclassmen of the Seirin basketball team were silent, until Izuki spoke up. "I knew this was going to be hard, but honestly..." he trailed off. "This is insane," Tsuchida finished for him.<p>

Koganei, who sat next to Tsuchida raised his hand. "Can I just go outside and cry for a bit?"

Aida leaned on to a nearby desk, crossing her arms. "From what I see, we would lose 9 out of 10 matches against Seiho, but we have to make sure that this next match will be that 1 out of 10 that we win."

The atmosphere in the room was unsettling. "I know, that we had it hard last year," Aida said softly, causing the rest of them to stare at their coach. "But, it's been a whole year since then. Lots of things have changed; we're stronger than before. Now isn't the time to be moping over the past, it's our time to get revenge. After all, that's what we've been working up to for the past year, right?"

The brunette looked up and felt reassurance from the smiles that her players gave her.

Hyuga stood up, surveying the rest of the team. "Look, it's not much, but I have a plan. It's not going to be easy but if we can figure this out, at least we stand a chance against Seiho." Hyuga began to relay the plan to the rest of the people in the room. When he finished, he glanced at Aida for assent.

Aida clucked her tongue in annoyance. "You're wrong, Hyuga," she stated at which Hyuga felt overwhelming disappointment. "That wouldn't just give us a chance...if we can figure that out, we can definitely win."

Hyuga grinned at Aida's approval. "Well, it won't be easy," he said quickly.

"But we can do it. No doubt about it," Aida reaffirmed. "There's no time to lose! Let's get started!"

* * *

><p>"I wonder how Midorimacchi will do today..." Kise murmured under her breath as she followed Kasmatsu towards the official competition gym. It was the day of the semi-final and final of the Interhigh preliminaries. After being qualified themselves, Kise and Kasamatsu had come to see the finals in Tokyo. Kise listened to the daily horoscope from her phone, blinking at the screen as the reporter talked. Kise let out a gasp of surprise, causing Kasmatsu to turn questioningly in her direction.<p>

"What are you doing?" Kasmatsu asked, enunciating each word. The blond shrugged her shoulders gracefully, flicking her hair back. She smiled at her upperclassman, a wicked look in her golden eyes.

"I was just listening to the daily horoscope," she answered casually. At Kasamatsu's confused expression, Kise added, "Midorimacchi; as in Midorima Shinju, obsesses over her horoscope. I was just checking hers for today. You know, it's frighteningly accurate for her."

"Oh," Kasamatsu frowned, probably due to the strange revelation. "Out of curiosity, how's her horoscope today?"

At this, Kise grinned malevolently. She stared back at the screen of her phone, paused at the horoscope rank chart with Cancer on the top. "Looks like Midorimacchi has nothing to worry about," Kise chuckled. She removed her earphones and placed her phone into her pocket, patting it preciously. "I'm sure it'll still be an interesting game; Seiho against Shutoku."

"What about Seirin?" Kasamatsu narrowed his eyes. "Although we beat them, they're not exactly weak. They made it up until here," he commented.

"For the sake of an interesting final match, let's hope that Seiho floors Seirin. Otherwise, there would have been no point in coming here." Kise replied. 'After all, if Kagami was no match for me, then he's no match for Midorimacchi or any of the other Miracles for that matter,' she thought with slight disappointment.

Kasamatsu blinked then said, "But don't they have, who was it again...uh...you know, your friend from Teiko?"

Kise's eyes widened and she grabbed Kasamatsu's shoulder, pulling him back. "Have you seen him play for Seirin?" There was a dark glint in Kise's golden orbs that burned with an unnamed emotion. Kasamatsu almost blanked out at the sight.

"N-no," he cursed himself in his mind for stuttering.

Kise let out a low whine like a kicked puppy and released him. "It doesn't matter," she commented nonchalantly as if she hadn't been so excited seconds before. "It wouldn't change anything." Despite what she said, Kise pulled out her phone again, scrolling back to the recording she had watched before. Her eyes flickered to the screen frozen on the horoscope rankings. As she scanned the list, she unintentionally smirked. Aquarius ranked last for the day.

"It's the worst," she smirked.

* * *

><p>"This place is huge," Furihata commented nervously as they practiced before the match. "Plus there are actually spectators here," he added, seeing the large number of Seiho students in the stands.<p>

"And we're against the Kings of the North and East," Kawahara added. "It's so hard to win even one of the matches, let alone two..."

Hyuga came up from behind the two freshmen, frowning slightly. "Don't give up before anything's happened," he stated gruffly. "But, don't be like that Bakagami over there. Looks like he's already thinking about the match afterwards," Hyuga gestured towards the auburn-haired male who was glaring at Midorima Shinju on another court. Midorima kept looking in their direction, but she didn't seem to notice Kagami. In fact, she looked as if she were looking for someone else. She turned away when Takao called to her.

Hyuga trudged over to Kagami and grabbed his head, turning him away from the Shutoku players. A sharp cracking sound accompanied the gesture as Hyuga grinned and said, "Wrong opponent you moron."

Kagami rubbed his neck painfully. "I'm focusing on our opponent," he protested, as he finally turned to look at the Seiho players. Hyuga snorted in disbelief, until Kagami spoke up again. "But...those guys, seeing them right now, they really are different, but they don't seem as formidable as Shutoku."

Hyuga raised an eyebrow but didn't speak. Aida walked over, her hands on her hips, after hearing what Kagami said. "They do have small builds. The tallest would be Iwamura-kun, the captain. Then, that's the point guard, Kasuga-kun."

"They're the two main pillars of the team," Hyuga added knowingly. Kagami narrowed his eyes but said nothing.

The silence was soon broken when a loud voice from where Seiho was practicing shouted. "Hey, isn't that Kagami! His hair is really red! Scary!" Kagami whipped his head around in irritation to see the Seiho player that he and Kuroko had observed a few days before. Kagami was about to retort angrily when he felt a soft tap on his shoulder. The auburn-haired ace turned again to see the phantom player standing beside him, cyan eyes blank. Kuroko silently urged Kagami to control himself, to which Kagami reluctantly obliged.

Unfortunately, the shaven-headed Seiho player's rant did not stop. "Hey captain! This is the guy you mentioned, the one you said was the only strong player on the Seirin team. Didn't you say that he went up against Kise of the Generation of Miracles, but lost in the end? This is him, right?!"

"Shut up, Tsugawa," Iwamura punched the other Seiho player from behind. "I apologize for this idiot," he added, glancing at the Seirin team. "He isn't good at reading the atmosphere and says whatever he wants."

"No need to apologize," Hyuga said, although Kagami looked as if he were about to respond. "After all, we'll be taking the victory for this match. You shouldn't look down on us like last year."

Iwamura's tightened and he grabbed Tsugawa by the back of the shirt. "It's not that we were looking down on you. You were just weak." With that, Iwamura dragged Tsugawa away.

"Hey, captain, weren't you being blunt as well?" the shaven-headed player asked Iwamura.

Iwamura glanced down at his underclassman. "I am straightforward. I just hate beating around the bush." In a lower tone, he added, "And now that you've seen your mark, are you satisfied?"

Tsugawa grinned in response. "It's going to be great, but either way, Kagami won't win against me, which ultimately means that Seirin doesn't stand a chance."

Iwamura sighed. "I hate your overconfidence, but it's true. There is no way Seirin can win against us; one of the three kings of Tokyo."

After their encounter with Seiho, the Seirin players returned to the locker rooms before the match. Aida cast a wary eye towards the silent players of the team. She fiddled with her clipboard, the nervous atmosphere making her tense. She closed her eyes, trying to figure out a way to lighten the mood.

Aida's eyes flickered open and she clapped for the team's attention. "Alright guys! If you win, as a special treat, I'll give you a kiss on the cheek!" Instantaneously, the Seirin players backed away mutely, trying to get as far away from their coach as possible, causing Aida to hide in the corner gloomily.

Hyuga glared at all of the people who had backed away and slammed his hand on to one of the benches. "Guys! That's no way to act!" Aida lit up at Hyuga's words, until he added. "At least pretend to be grateful!"

Aida throbbed with irritation as she jumped up and turned to the team. "You all remember what I said before!" Aida shouted to the second years, causing the freshmen to stand confused. "We're here for our revenge! We lost last year, but we've been practicing for this past year, for this moment! Don't you dare waste it!"

All of the second years smiled knowingly at their coach. "We know," Izuki spoke. "That is, what you told us after all. There is no way we would forget."

Aida visibly relaxed and nodded. "Let's go get them, then!" Soon, the Seirin players were filing out of the locker rooms, smiling as usual. Kagami was about to leave when he was pulled back.

Kuroko stood behind the auburn-haired player, cyan eyes staring straight at him. Kuroko seemed to sway uneasily on the spot, but Kagami thought it was just his imagination. Kuroko breathed in quietly before saying, "Kagami-kun, have you ever hated basketball before?"

Kagami was about to protest violently, taking the question as an accusation, however when he saw Kuroko staring absentmindedly at the ground, he stopped himself. "No," he replied gruffly. "I can't hate the sport that I love."

Kuroko continued to direct his gaze downwards. "I have though," he uttered softly. Kagami's eyes widened a fraction but he didn't ask anymore questions. Suddenly, he remembered how Kuroko had lied to him before he had joined the basketball team by saying that he had never played basketball before. Kagami considered a connection between these two things, but still couldn't find the source of Kuroko's uneasiness. Whatever it was, Kuroko wasn't about to talk about it anytime soon and as much as Kagami wanted to know, he didn't want to push it.

"You see, I did say once that the past doesn't dictate the future," Kuroko explained, finally looking up at Kagami. The auburn-haired male had expected some kind of emotion to show on that pale face in front of him but Kuroko was a blank slate as usual. "But, that isn't entirely true. The past can affect the future, and I think, because of that, this game is very important to our upperclassmen."

"In other words?" Kagami asked, wondering what Kuroko was ranting on about.

"In other words, I would really like us to win this match." the baby blue-head concluded.

Kagami let out an exasperated sigh before punching Kuroko lightly in the shoulder. "What's with that "I would like to win"? We are going to win! What's the point of being partners if we can't lead our own team to victory?"

Kuroko smiled softly in response, but not before a flicker of guilt appeared in his eyes, but this escaped the auburn-head's notice. "Let's go!" Kagami shouted. Kuroko trailed behind slowly, taking a deep breath before straightening up in determination. He was ready.

* * *

><p>Kise walked into the building from above, and slowly towards the back of the stands. Kasamatsu followed directly behind her. He flinched as Kise chuckled, grinning back at him. "What did you say about Seirin being strong? Look at the score!"<p>

Kasamatsu went over to Kise and his eyes widened with surprise. "12 to 0? What's up with that?" he turned to Kise, almost as if he were accusing her.

Kise continued to chuckle, placing one hand on her hip. "You said it yourself, sempai. 'Seiho is a team with experts.' It doesn't matter though, I only came to see Midorimacchi." Kise smiled softly at the small lie she had told. It wasn't entirely true that she had only come to see the other female player. She had also come to confirm those rumors that she had heard, but now she seated herself in one of the chairs in the stands with satisfaction.

Kasamatsu sat down next to Kise, letting out a sigh. "I thought they would do better," he commented lightly.

"Yeah, but then again, Kagami is the only one capable of pushing Seirin forward, and in my opinion, he is way too hot-blooded to do that," Kise replied. "So, as sad as it is to say, Seirin never stood a chance." Kasamatsu glanced at Kise, hearing none of that 'sadness' that the blonde had mentioned. The blonde now directed her full attention towards the Shutoku court, not even glancing at the other court.

On the court, Kagami dribbled the ball at his side, unable to pass by his mark; the irritating shaven-headed Seiho player by the name of Tsugawa. Kagami glared at the smirking player before passing the ball to Izuki, who was just behind him. Izuki drive forward and attempted to perform a lay-up but was stopped by the Seiho captain.

They continued in that fashion, Seirin trying to score in every way possible. Unfortunately, the pressure that they were receiving from Seiho's defense seemed to be taking its toll on Kagami.

"Not much are you?" Tsugawa taunted Kagami as the auburn-haired male received the ball. In a fit of rage, Kagami drive forward, charging into Tsugawa. The whistle blew as the referee signaled a foul. Kagami glared at Tsugawa who stood in front of him.

From behind Kagami felt a soft jab. Kagami spun around to see Kuroko, who simply said, "Please be careful. That's your second one today." Kagami glared but said nothing.

The match continued. When Seirin was in possession, Izuki passed to Kuroko. Kuroko cast an eye around the court as the ball flew towards him. However, he grimaced as he saw no pass course, and caught the ball in his hands, only for it to be stolen by the opposition.

From the sidelines, Aida watched calmly, her brown eyes observing each move that the Seiho players made. She remained in the same pensive mood even as Seiho was driving up the court. The Seirin players that were benched glanced at their coach with surprise and wonderment. Finally, the brunette stood and walked over to the official's desk.

A few seconds later, a time out was called on Seirin's side. Aida waited as the five Seirin players sat on the bench, sweating profusely. Without a moment's hesitation, Aida started her commentary. "Seiho is using martial art movements," she spoke. "For example, they use the Nanba run. Usually, when you run, you move swing your opposite arm and leg in the direction you're running. But with the Nanba run, you swing the same arm as the leg. This preserves stamina." The Seirin players nodded in understanding.

"On the other hand," Aida continued. "These players as high schoolers, just like you. They can fall for feints, and you could pass by them by simply being faster. They aren't doing anything particularly special, and it's not magic. You shouldn't have much of a problem getting by them."

Kagami blinked before chuckling. "So we just have to be stronger and faster, right?" Aida nodded, almost uncertainly, just as the whistle blew to signal that the time out had ended.

Kagami glanced over his shoulder at Izuki. "Sempai, can you pass me the ball?" he asked.

The black-haired player blinked. "I can trust you, then?" Izuki asked. Kagami only nodded, although Izuki had his doubts, considering Kagami's question before.

Izuki come to a stop beside him. "Please don't worry sempai. I think Kagami-kun is the type of person to get things done when he must," Kuroko spoke. Izuki stared after Kuroko as the pass specialist ran off.

As Seirin started with the ball, Izuki dribbled up the court, passing the ball swiftly to Kagami. Kagami caught it, his eyes flashing with determination.

Tsugawa smirked as he watched Kagami begin to dribble. "A one-on-one, eh?" he asked.

Kagami glared into Tsugawa's eyes. "I don't care whether you're using martial arts or whatever," Kagami growled. "But basketball is basketball." At those words, the auburn-haired ace began to dribe forward. Tsugawa moved, about to retort when Kagami did a crossover and drove past him. Tsugawa's eyes widened as he stared after Kagami who dunked the ball and earned the first points for Seirin.

Kasuga walked over, barely hiding his surprise. "That's the first time I've ever seen anyone pass by you," he commented, directing his words at Tsugawa.

The shaven-headed player suddenly grinned with amusement. "But it's a lot more fun when your opponent is harder," he replied.

Kasuga grinned back at the freshmen. "You just love playing in defense, don't you?"

* * *

><p>Kuroko glanced at the scoreboard, seeing it said 15 to 6 with Seiho in the lead. He wiped his hand over his mouth, steadying his breathing. Kuroko moved into position as Seiho's attack begun, but it was just the same as before. The Seiho players passed at lightning speed, barely holding the ball before passing it onwards. Kuroko watched with slight horror as Kagami got charged for another foul; his third one.<p>

Kuroko stopped, panting softly, as his eyes were drawn to the other court. Midorima shot another three pointer, her movements perfect. Kuroko slowly followed the arc that the basketball made as it soared up into the air; it was almost hypnotizing.

While he was distracted, he felt someone run into him from behind. The baby-blue head turned to see Tsugawa, his face contorted in shock. "You..." the shaven-headed male gasped. "Since when have you been here?!" The Seiho player pointed at Kuroko almost accusingly.

"Since the beginning," Kuroko replied monotonously.

"Huh? I didn't see you though," Tsugawa murmured. "Well, fine. You know, last year our team ended the first quarter with a 20 point difference from yours," Tsugawa glanced at the scoreboard with a grin. "I want to make it 30 this year! So don't be too depressed, okay?"

Kuroko felt a pinprick of irritation at Tsugawa's words, but it barely affected him. "Okay. I will try my best not to be," he replied nonchalantly, turning his back on a confused Tsugawa.

"Izuki-sempai," Kuroko called out, walking over to the point guard. "I have a request..."

Once the game resumed, the Seirin players were put under the pressure of Seiho's defense once more. "As expected of the best defense in Tokyo," Hyuga muttered under his breath.

Izuki scanned the court and caught sight of Kuroko, who was left unguarded. Quickly, the black-haired player passed in his direction, seemingly passing at thin air. For a moment, it looked as though the ball would go out of bounds. However, just before it did so, the ball returned like a boomerang, around the back of Seiho's defenseman ans into Mitobe's hands. Immediately, Mitobe shot the ball in, earning another two points for the Seirin team.

The stands were eerily quiet as the players gathered themselves. The Seiho players looked around at each other, shock written plainly on their faces. Midorima who had been returning for defense saw the pass with her own eyes. She came to a full stop, eyes wide open. "Kuroko," Midorima almost choked on the name.

From above, Kasamatsu stared at the ball as if not beleiving what he had seen. Kise finally glanced at the Seirin court, looking for the cause of the sudden silence around her. Kise froze, her heart skipping a beat as she saw that familiar baby-blue hair and cyan eyes. Then he disappeared.

"Kurokocchi!" Kise shouted, but her calls were drowned out by the eruption of shouts in the stands. The blonde grabbed the back of the seat in front of her, standing to get a better view of the court. She focused her golden eyes on the court, searching for him again. Around her, people were asking "what just happened?" and "who did that?" although none of them were able to give satisfactory answers. However, Kise knew perfectly well what had just happened; after all, she had experienced it herself.

Kasamatsu, who was seated next to the blonde, stared at Kise's desperate actions. He reached a hand out to tug the blonde downwards back into her seat as she was beginning to attract attention. Kise slapped his hand away without even looking at him. The coldness in those golden eyes almost made Kasamatsu freeze.

"He's there," Kise muttered to herself.

Kasamatsu raised an eyebrow. "Who is?" he asked.

"_He_ is," Kise replied, with no elaboration.

Kasamatsu blinked, then stared at the blonde intently. "Why are you so tense?" he asked. "You're acting as if you've seen a predator or something," Kise shook her head in response before leaning back in her seat to continue watching the game. However, this time, her golden eyes focused on the Seirin players on the other court, instead of Midorima playing for Shutoku. Something had caused a change in heart, or possibly...someone.

Kasamatsu saw Kise glaring at the clock, as if willing the time to pass by. It was as if she were in a rush. Kasamatsu could only continue to watch with curiosity.

Kise suddenly stood. "I'm going to go get a drink," she murmured to Kasamatsu before leaving the stands. Kasamatsu stared after her, until a sharp whistle emitted from below. On the Shutoku court, Midorima was taken out of the game. The green-haired female donned her Shutoku jacket before glancing directly at the Seirin court. Even from his distance, Kasamatsu could see the glare on the greenette's face. Midorima promptly turned on her heel and walked out the door.

Kasamatsu watched as the door swung close. Slowly he turned to look at the Seirin court, only catching sight of Kagami and a few other noticeable players. Kasamatsu blinked, catching a flash of baby blue, but it soon disappeared. Kasamatsu searched but he couldn't find it. He couldn't find what had caused the two Miracles to be angered, but whatever it was, it had something to do with that abnormal pass he had seen a while ago.

The rumor he had once heard about a phantom sixth man at Teiko was the last thing he expected to think about, but suprisingly enough, that was the only thing that was on his mind at present. He could put the pieces together, but it hardly made sense. Would the two Miracles be angry simply because they saw a former teammate playing. Then again, it hardly mattered. That wasn't the question he wanted answered.

What he wanted to know was 'why?'

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>Kuroko no Basuke rightfully belongs to Fujimaki Tadatoshi. The characters in this story do not belong to me. I only own this piece itself and the plotline. Any similar works are purely coincidental.

**Author's Note: **I sincerely apologize for the extreme delay. I have had school up until this time and I finally finished my exams. To those who have borne with my delay and are still reading this, thank you, thank you so much! I appreciate everyone who has shown me their support up until now. I hope you'll forgive me for the lateness in updates, but now that I'm out of school, please look forward to more frequent (hopefully, weekly) updates! I have changed the format of all of my previous chapters to match this one, hence the many updates. Anyways, I'm still up to suggestions for the pairing on this; I've had some 'no pairings', 'GoMxKuroko' and 'AkaKuro', but I'm probably going to leave this as it is. I really want to make a cover for this story, which I hope to get done over the summer. Well, I guess that's it so until next time everybody!

_Next Chapter~ A Three-Way Encounter Between Miracles; The Copy-Cat, the Shooter and the Phantom...the Battle Between Midorima and Kuroko Begins!_


	10. Chapter 9- Why I can't forgive him

**Chapter 9 : "Why I can't forgive him"**

"End of the first quarter!" the words echoed around the gymnasium, the sharp sound of the buzzer lingering in the player's ears. Kuroko wiped the sweat dripping from his forehead, casting the scoreboard a sidelong glance. A small smile appeared on his lips, but soon melted back into his usual blank expression.

"What?!" a voice rose from down the court. "The...same score?" Kuroko observed Tsugawa staring incredulously at the scoreboard which read clearly 19 to 19. "How…?" the shaven-headed male glanced at his upperclassmen confusedly. "Aren't we so far from our goal?"

"Shut up," growled Iwamura, his eyes narrowing with irritation. Tsugawa flinched at the obvious anger in Iwamura's voice and complied. "Now isn't the time for conceit," he murmured to his teammates. "They _are_ strong. Don't let yourself think otherwise."

Hyuga patted Kuroko on the shoulder as he passed by, smirking with triumph. Kuroko returned it with another ghostly smile.

However, Kuroko's smile melted away as he saw the doors of the gymnasium open discreetly and a tall figure came into view. Midorima returned to the Shutoku bench, adjusting her glasses and glancing towards the Seirin court, directly at Kuroko. Apple green met bright cyan as the two stared at each other until Kuroko turned to return to his own bench.

"Alright!" Aida greeted them enthusiastically, her brown eyes concentrated. "Keep this up. We'll keep the formations the same for both offense and defense. Take note that you're being lured into passing too much."

Aida stopped to glare at Kagami. "And you, Kagami, need to be careful with your fouls," she spoke in a menacing voice. Kagami shuddered as he stared at his shoes.

"Now, you need to take the lead. So the most important thing you have to do is attack!" Aida reminded them. "Don't get too relaxed because we're on par with them. This game is far from over!" A chorus of assent rose from the Seirin bench.

As if on cue, the whistle sounded for the beginning of the second quarter. Kuroko stood, watching as Aida and Hyuga exchanged knowing glances. Almost immediately Kuroko understood that they weren't telling them something.

Shaking his head, Kuroko returned to the court. Suddenly he felt the intense pressure of someone's gaze on him. As Kuroko met eyes with Midorima once more, he felt her stare like a needle pricking him from behind. He only gave her a quick nod before moving out of sight.

With another blow of the whistle, the game resumed.

Seiho's defense had grown tighter than before, a sign that they weren't holding back. Nonetheless, Kuroko got away from his mark easily to aid Kagami.

Kagami made a bounce pass towards Kuroko after dribbling near the opponent's basket. Kuroko returned it in a similar fashion, letting the ball bounce high in the air. Immediately, Kagami took the it up and the auburn-head dunked the ball forcefully.

The two freshmen high-fived and went back down the court for defense. Sweat dripped down Kuroko's face endlessly and the baby blue-head felt a shock from how much he was sweating.

Kuroko turned as he watched Kagami steal the ball and drive forward. He followed rapidly behind, eyes focused on the strong back in front of him. He stopped abruptly, the words 'Kagami, be careful with your fouls,' echoing in the back of his mind as Kagami charged towards Tsugawa. The smirk on the shaven-headed player ran an electric shock down his spine.

As if in slow-motion, Kagami charged into Tsugawa and the whistle shrieked. Turning slowly, Kuroko saw the flag with the number 4 written on it. As one, the crowd erupted into a mass of excitement at the new predicament.

Aida stalked over to the officials table and immediately requested a substitution. This was hardly a shock, until Kuroko saw Aida beckoning towards him as well.

"We've chosen to take the both of you off the court," Aida spoke to the two freshmen.

"What?!" Kagami protested. "No! It's fine. I just have to avoid making more fouls! I promise, I'll be careful!"

Hyuga snorted and shook his head. "It's not just that, Kagami. We had this planned all along."

"You see," Izuki intervened. "You're the only two that can stop Midorima, which is why we can't have you overexert yourselves. Even if we win this game, there wouldn't be any point if we couldn't win in the finals."

"We'll figure something out!" Kagami remained stubborn. "We can play even if we're tired."

Hyuga sighed and shook his head. "You don't understand Kagami. If we let you play this whole match, we have better chances of winning against Seiho."

"Then why?!" Kagami exclaimed. "How come you're—"

"However," Hyuga continued. "We would have no chance of winning against Shutoku. Look for yourself, Kagami. They're already preserving Midorima. If you two were at the point of exhaustion, there is no doubt that we would lose."

"On the other hand," Aida picked up. "If we preserve you two, we have a lower chance of winning against Seiho, but that gives us a small chance of winning the next match."

"But—" Kagami began but Kuroko laid a hand on his shoulder. The phantom stared into Kagami's dark red eyes and shook his head lightly. With a final grunt, Kagami turned away with obvious reluctance.

"We'll be counting on you for the next game," Koganei stated as he walked on court, Tsuchida right behind him. Kagami nodded in response, but he was barely listening. His eyes were on Kuroko's back as he remembered his words in the locker room.

"_Kagami-kun, have you ever hated basketball before?"_

"_No, I can't hate the sport that I love."_

"_I have though."_

Then he remembered Kise when she came to Seirin. "_Do you know anybody by the name of Kuroko Tetsuya?"_

A switch clicked in Kagami's head, as he stared at the head of baby blue hair. There was something about the Generation of Miracles and their Phantom Sixth Man. Something that was strangely disturbing. Something that Kuroko was hiding from him.

Kuroko glanced in Kagami's direction with unreadable cyan eyes. "Kagami-kun, as I told you before, this match is very important for our sempais," he said in a low voice.

"I know," Kagami grunted back.

* * *

><p>On the court, the five Seirin players waited for the match to resume. Tsugawa approached Hyuga, smirking. "Looks like Kagami isn't here anymore," he commented loudly. "I guess this won't be much of a challenge then."<p>

Hyuga's dark eyes twitched with exasperation and he glared down at Tsugawa. "Shut up. I'll teach you some respect, baldy."

Tsugawa's eyes widened with confusion. "Bal—?" he stammered.

Five minutes into the second quarter and Tsugawa realized what Hyuga had been talking about. With a quick glance at the scoreboard, he saw that there was only a one-point gap.

Iwamura approached Hyuga with his eyes furrowed. "I heard what you were saying before," he started. "But if you really mean what you said, then you are underestimating us."

"Oh, don't worry," Hyuga answered. "That was just a show. What we really mean is that we want to win this match by our own hands. Otherwise, we wouldn't be satisfied at all. That is our pride as sempais."

Iwamura glared at them before returning to the game. Hyuga smirked after him and ran off.

At the bench, Kagami gritted his teeth as he watched the match unfold before his eyes. Sensing his discomfort, Aida went to sit next to the auburn-head and grinned lightly. "Don't worry!" she chimed cheerfully, slapping him on the back. "Have some faith in your upperclassmen!"

Kagami grumbled something that sounded like "as if I could" which earned him another slap. "What was that for?" he growled at his coach whose eyes were glittering with amusement.

"I forgot that you don't know their strengths," she replied coolly. At Kagami's confused glance, Aida added, "Don't think that we got to the Interhigh last year with sheer luck. Watch." she pointed a finger at the court where Izuki was driving up the court.

The raven-haired point guard swiftly passed to Mitobe. The silent player moved around Iwamura to get a clear shot towards the basket. Kagami watched intently as Mitobe held the ball with one hand and made a hook shot.

"A hook shooter?" Kagami asked the coach. She nodded a smile spreading across her face.

"Mitobe's hook shots, Hyuga's outside shots. Last year, without your offence plays with Kuroko-kun, we planned to use those as the cores of our offence. Then there's Izuki-kun."

"Izuki-sempai?" Kagami asked, frowning as he glanced at the Seirin point guard. Izuki was in possession, dribbling the ball while contemplating his next move. Quickly, he passed towards his right to Hyuga and ran forward. Kagami's eyes widened when he saw Izuki's mark run into one of his own team mates. "How did he—?" Kagami asked to no one in particular as he saw Izuki make the point.

"He has another 'eye'," Aida explained.

Kagami stared at the absurd comment. "He has another—what? Wait, he has three eyes?"

"Sorry, what I mean is he is able to switch his perspective of the court in his mind. That's why he can see the entire court, and make such feats as the one you just saw possible. We call his ability the eagle eye," Aida stated. "Which is why I told you not to worry. We haven't been doing nothing this past year, you know."

"I didn't know…" Kagami spoke quietly.

Aida smirked. "They aren't entirely different from you. They hate to lose, which is why, they'll do everything to win; this match and the next one. They aren't unreliable if that's what you think."

* * *

><p>Two minutes left, Kuroko thought as he stared at the scoreboard. There was a five point gap and Seiho was in the lead. Kuroko fidgeted slightly at the tension that was building on the court.<p>

Kuroko was momentarily distracted when he caught sight of Midorima watching him intently from the Shutoku bench. The baby blue-head tried to ignore the piercing gaze but Midorima's stare seemed to intensify. Kuroko made eye-contact with her and she slowly blinked, her mouth becoming a firmer line of disapproval.

Wondering how someone could stare at a single person for half an hour, Kuroko swiveled his head to glance at the court. At that moment, Koganei had grabbed the ball that was rolling out of bounds and threw it. However the action made him lose his balance and he stumbled off the court and hit his head against the Seirin bench.

Aida jumped up and ran over, shouting "Are you okay?" and grimacing when she saw him. "He has a light concussion," Aida told the rest of the players that had gathered around her. "We have to sub him out."

At those words, Kagami jumped up. "Then I'll go! I still have to take my revenge on that baldy Tsugawa! Please let me go on!"

Aida frowned. "No way, you already have four fouls. All that's going to happen is you're going to make another foul and then be taken off the court. I won't allow that."

Kuroko glanced at Kagami who was fuming. "I'll be careful. So please."

The baby-blue head resolved to put an end to it and grabbed Kagami by the back of the shirt, pushing him out of the way. "I agree with the coach," he said emotionlessly. "So the person with four fouls should stay back."

"Ku—Damn it! Kuroko! What was that for?" Kagami asked as he fell against the bench.

"You said you needed to take revenge?" Kuroko asked quietly. "Then I will go on court and do it in your stead. Is that fine with you?"

Kagami stared at Kuroko and realized how different he was. Kagami wasn't quite sure what it was but Kuroko looked stronger and reliable; unlike the mess of confusion and uncertainty he first met at the courts that night. Kagami nodded without thinking and settled back on the bench, eyes following Kuroko.

Kuroko stepped on to the court and was immediately met by Tsugawa. "I definitely thought it would Kagami that would come back," he said loudly.

"It seems that I'm here for something like revenge," Kuroko replied indifferently.

Tsugawa smirked at that. "Revenge, huh?" Then the shaven-haired male turned to his upperclassmen and shouted, "Can I switch marks?"

"Sure," Kasuga replied. "But why?"

"Well, this person here," Tsugawa pointed his thumb at Kuroko. "Seems to be here for revenge."

Kasuga shrugged and turned away. "Well, good luck then."

Tsugawa turned back to Kuroko. "But seriously, I'm disappointed," Tsugawa rambled on. "I mean, your upperclassmen said that they would win on their own and stuff, but you're a freshmen, and you're on this court right now. So aren't they unreliable after all?"

Kuroko's mouth tightened. "I wouldn't think about it like that, seeing how the match has turned out so far. However, I am here to support the sempais that I respect, and in order to do that, I will defeat you."

"If you insis—" Tsugawa was about to reply but then stopped. "Where did he go?!" he asked, staring at the empty space in front of him.

Kuroko had shaken off Tsugawa and ran across the court to receive a pass from Izuki. He passed to Hyuga, letting the ball swivel back like a boomerang. Hyuga ran past the defenders and scored with a layup.

Iwamura clicked his tongue. "That magic pass is back, but..." Iwamura didn't continue but he felt as if the Seirin players were getting away for their defenders more easily than before.

Iwamura waited as the ball came towards him but his vision was blocked by a hurtling figure. He had barely realized it when Hyuga had stopped the pass and threw it to his teammates, getting two more points.

Kagami let his eyes wander around the court, finally fixing on Kuroko as he passed the ball. "Amazing..." he muttered under his breath.

"Oh yeah, you've never seen him play before, have you?" Aida smirked knowingly. "It's always like that."

"But how are all the others getting around so well?" Kagami asked, frowning.

Aida smiled softly. "I told you, they hate to lose, which is why we studied all of Seiho's martial arts movements and their patterns."

Kagami's eyes widened as Aida chuckled. "Not that it was easy," she added.

Just then Tsuchida scored a basket and the scoreboard flickered to show the score: 70 to 69. Kagami breathed out with relief as Seirin had finally taken the lead.

"It's not over yet," Aida shouted.

Iwamura drove forward ferociously and dunked the ball, practically ignoring Mitobe and Hyuga at the basket. "You're too naïve if you think you can beat the kings," he spat.

"A man-to-man," Aida gasped as she observed their defensive formation. "They're trying to score another basket!"

Izuki was having a hard time getting through but Mitobe slipped in as a screen, letting the point guard drive forward. He swiftly passed in Kuroko's direction, but just as the baby-blue head was about to pass the ball on, Tsugawa appeared in front of him.

"He figured out Kuroko's position from the position of the ball and—" Aida began but her explanation drowned in Kagami's shout.

"Kuroko!" Kagami screamed to the phantom player.

Tsugawa smirked but felt cold sweat drop down his neck as Kuroko missed the ball, letting it float in midair. Then, without warning, he pelted it in another direction—straight into Hyuga's hands.

Hyuga smiled even as he threw in the three-pointer and the buzzer rang in the stadium. One whole year of waiting and toiling and finally it had come to use; and victory was theirs. He could see Aida almost crying and wordlessly ruffled her hair. "Wait for the next game," he said softly. "Once we win the next game, you can cry all you want."

"What?" Tsugawa's disbelief came in a strangled cry from the court. "But we are stronger. We were supposed to win! They are only a team that was formed last year!"

"Tsugawa," Iwamura spoke softly. "It's not that the stronger team wins. It's that the winning team is stronger. They were stronger. That's all there is to it."

Tsugawa turned to see Kuroko and sauntered up to him. "What's your name?"

Kuroko blinked. "Kuroko Tetsuya," he replied.

"I'll remember that. For next time, definitely," Tsugawa walked away as the two teams lined up.

"73 to 71, Seirin High wins!" the speakers rumbled.

"Thank you for the game!" the two teams shouted before disassembling.

Kuroko had a smile on his lips as he watched his upperclassmen filled with joy. His heart ached all of a sudden as he wondered whether he would ever receive the closure that his upperclassmen had. He was dragged out of his thoughts as Kagami came to grin at him and slap him on the head almost affectionately. He would put that out of his mind, for now.

* * *

><p>Kuroko and Kagami were trailing behind near the back of the group; Kagami looking at Kuroko with newfound respect and awe. As they walked along side by side towards the locker rooms, Kuroko was suddenly jerked backwards. The baby blue-head turned to see the two people he had least expected to meet there.<p>

Kise's golden eyes were flashing, her hair cascading around her. Her hand gripped Kuroko's firmly; not in a painful way but purposefully.

Next to her stood Midorima, her apple green eyes directed in the other direction in a mask of indifference. However, Kuroko knew it was only a mask, otherwise Midorima simply wouldn't tolerate Kise in the first place.

Finally, the Generation of Miracles had found him. Kuroko's heart rate was increasing as he found himself 'graced' by their presence. For a moment, his vision included only them; two of the people that had lit a flame in his world, and burned it down with their own hands.

A cold claw gripped his heart. It was like lava boiling in his stomach: unpleasant and searing. This was different from the longing or loneliness he had felt before, it was more foreign in nature, and a lot more painful.

Beside him, Kagami pointed a finger at Kise and Midorima, shouting their names out loud. This caught the attention of the Seirin players that had gone on ahead, all of them reflecting shock.

Kise smiled cheerfully, curling a strand of hair around her finger. "You're so loud Kagami. We just want to talk." To whom, she did not specify.

"We?" Midorima scoffed. "Don't include me in your games, Kise."

"So mean..." Kise mused. "Then why are you here in the first place?" she added, smirking. "You don't have to stay if you don't want to."

Midorima glared at Kise and adjusted her glasses. "I came to...talk to Kuroko. You, coincidentally popped up at the same time, that's all."

Kagami looked down at the shorter boy next to him. He remembered that Kuroko was still hiding something from them, and Kagami's hands curled into fists. "You can say it to the both of us," he snapped at the two female players. "Kuroko doesn't need to—"

"Okay," Kuroko said before Kagami could finish. "Let's talk." With surprise, Kagami saw that there was a fiery determination in Kuroko's cyan eyes. It was a change for someone who was always completely expressionless. "Kagami-kun, sempais, please excuse me."

Before anyone could protest, the trio headed back down the corridor without another word. None of the Seirin players stirred, until Aida moved back to Kagami and lightly pushed him forward. "I don't know what is going on," Aida said quietly. Her brown eyes were cloudy, and Kagami understood that she had come to the same conclusion that he had. "But please follow him. Don't let anyone see you, but follow him."

"I don't need to be told twice," Kagami nodded before sneaking down the corridor and out of sight.

"What is this about?" Koganei asked, coming forward from the back. "Did something happen to Kuroko?"

Aida frowned almost sadly. "I don't know. I'm not quite sure, but I hope he'll be fine."

Suddenly there was someone rushing down the hallway. The person stopped in front of the Seirin players and they recognized the captain of Kaijo. "I'm sorry for being abrupt, but have you seen a stupid, annoying blonde model come by here by any chance?"

"Uh...do you mean Kise-san?" Hyuga spoke up. Kasamatsu nodded.

"She just went the way you came," Aida responded. Kasamatsu blinked and ran back down the hallway, shouting about 'beating up that stupid model' and leaving the Seirin team in more confusion.

* * *

><p>The trio stepped off to the side into an empty hallway with nothing but storage room doors. Kuroko's breath caught as he felt his back against a wall, but strangely Kise was keeping her hands to herself this time. Midorima leaned against the opposite wall, her apple green eyes dark.<p>

"What would you like to talk about?" Kuroko asked quietly, blinking unfeelingly. He stared at the two females in front of him; and realized how strange they were for a duo. They were almost opposites; cheerful, insightful Kise and serious, dense Midorima. It would've been comical if not for their near identical expressions of disapproval and—Kuroko felt a pang of pain—hatred.

Kise's breath hitched at his words. "Don't pretend to be oblivious Kurokocchi," somehow her words sounded more tired than angry. It was as if she had grown exhausted of their game of cat and mouse and she finally wanted a conclusion to it. Kuroko was about to give it to her.

"Is this about middle school again, Kise-san?" Kuroko asked, a glare in his cyan eyes. "I would prefer to avoid the subject and put it behind us."

Midorima frowned. "Again? What do you mean by 'again'?"

Kuroko blinked in confusion. Kise let out a chuckle, "We've met once before, Midorimacchi. Just the two us, right?" Kise winked at Kuroko and the baby blue-head felt relief. Kise was acting as she usually did. Midorima's frown deepened, much to Kise's delight.

"But seriously," Kise continued and she too leaned against the wall opposite. "I'm going to have to refuse, Kurokocchi. I can't just put it behind me, and you have some questions to answer."

"Such as…?" Kuroko inquired, his hands twitching slightly. Kise's voice had grown lower, her golden eyes darker. That was a sure sign of danger and his head pounded a mantra of 'get away.' Yet, Kuroko didn't budge because something different anchored him in place. A boiling pit of fire in his heart that he couldn't quite describe.

"How about we start with...hmm," Kise pretended to muse. "How about _why are you still playing basketball?"_ Kuroko could swear he heard someone's breath hitch but he thought it was simply his imagination.

"What do you mean by 'why'?" Kuroko gritted his teeth. "I play because I want to."

Midorima stepped forward and shook her head. "Last year, you swore that you would never play basketball again, and you even said it was because of us; the Generation of Miracles."

"I did," Kuroko affirmed. The fiery emotion in his mind was starting to distract him. He couldn't name the emotion; he had rarely felt it before, but it grew stronger as Midorima came closer to him.

"Then why?" Kise suddenly blurted out. "Don't you understand what you've done? You left us all because you hated basketball then you return as if nothing has happened, and that the past doesn't matter. Can't you see what you did to us? You blame us for everything that happened, but you should know perfectly well that it was your fault in the first place!"

Kuroko's eyes widened and his hands shook. "My fault?" his voice was calm and monotonous, but even he could hear the shakiness in his words. "If it's anyone's fault, it would be yours."

Midorima's turned to Kise just as the blonde slammed her palm into the wall, next to Kuroko's head. Kise's golden eyes were filled with a turmoil of emotions; rage, hatred and, surprisingly, despair.

"Our fault?" Kise retorted. The blonde grabbed Kuroko's wrist and squeezed it tightly. "What do you mean?! How could it be—"

"Kise, that's enough!" Midorima pushed the blonde away, forcing her to let go of Kuroko's hand. "Don't get worked up," she spat, but Kuroko could see that her green orbs were filled with rage too.

Kuroko, though, was confused. Confused and angry; as much as they were. In his head he was trying to decipher Kise's words and began to wonder what exactly had happened to the basketball prodigies called the Generation of Miracles, and their obsession with his resignation from the basketball team. Nothing made sense, the story was too muddled to be given a clear meaning. All he could think about was Kise's words: "_It was your fault in the first place!"_

After calming Kise down, Midorima turned back to Kuroko. "What Kise was trying to say was correct though," Midorima spoke almost inaudibly. "And I am inclined to agree with her." Midorima reached a hand forward to grasp Kuroko's shoulder—

—and only received empty air. Kuroko had been pulled out of reach by Kagami who was breathing heavily, eyes livid. "I don't know what's going on here," he growled at the two women, then turned to Kuroko. "But the match will start soon enough and we need you back in the locker rooms, Kuroko."

Midorima stared at the pair and opened her mouth to speak, but Kuroko beat her to it. "Kagami-kun, when did you—"

"Doesn't matter," Kagami huffed. "We are out of here." With that, he dragged Kuroko down the hallway and out of sight.

Kise breathed out a deep sigh and turned to the greenette that stood beside her. Midorima glared down the corridor that Kagami and Kuroko had disappeared into.

"Well that was great. Kurokocchi just has to have an overly protective bodyguard now," Kise muttered irritably with a hint of jealousy in her voice.

"I couldn't care less, although if he was eavesdropping that would be a different matter," Midorima's long fingers curled inwards to her palms. "Then, I wouldn't like it either."

"And we got nothing out of Kurokocchi," Kise complained. "I mean, seriously, what did we come all the way here for?"

Midorima shook her head lightly. "He's grown stubborn. It's been months since I saw him; he has changed."

"I wonder about that," Kise mused.

"Still we fail to get a straight answer from him," Midorima muttered. "Why he left us, why he ran away..."

"I hate him," Kise spat suddenly.

Midorima's apple green eyes widened at the words. "You? Of all people, I would think that you hate him the _least._" Despite her words, Midorima showed assent in her eyes; a shared hatred.

"It is his fault after all," Kise leaned against the wall. "I mean, how our team broke apart. There were only two things tying us together—as friends, or as teammates. Kurokocchi left and there was nothing else to keep us tied as a group so we all drifted away; I thought that was obvious."

Midorima made a harsh sound like a grunt. "Not to him."

"I know," Kise closed her golden eyes before standing straight. "Which is why I hate him more, and why I can't forgive him, no matter what."

"Because he broke us all apart?" Midorima raised an eyebrow. It sounded slightly strange to feel angered to that extent just for an extremely fragile friendship, that was not meant to last too long either way.

"No..." Kise paused, contemplating Midorima's words, before murmuring inaudibly. "Because he wasn't there when I needed him." The blonde turned away and walked off without saying another word.

Midorima stared after Kise's retreating figure, green eyes dark and clouded. She watched as a hurtling shadow collided into Kise and jabbed her in the stomach, screaming 'Kise, you little bastard!'

Midorima watched amused as Kasamatsu beat Kise up for going to get a 'short' drink which obviously had been anything but.

Kise whined as she stood and walked off with Kasamatsu. Midorima found the scene reminiscent of their Teiko days, except they hadn't been close like the pair she had just seen. Everything had revolved around basketball and...Kuroko.

Midorima realized that Kise was right. There had only ever been two things bringing the Generation of Miracles together—and they both disappeared in the blink of an eye, taking away the fragile 'team' they had built and leaving nothing.

Midorima hardly cared though. There was only one thing keeping her there now and it was the unquenchable thirst for victory and the need to prove that she was the best. Be it to her former teammates, or that one person that she kept chasing after. Since that was the case, she had no time to reminisce. She would only continue going forward and doing her best for an unmistakable victory.

"Even if it's you, Kuroko…" she said out loud to herself and the empty corridor. "I will win no matter what."

* * *

><p>"Line up!" The whistle blew for the beginning of the match. The Seirin players faced the Shutoku regulars and bowed.<p>

Kagami stood straight but his eyes were not on his formidable opponents, but on Kuroko. He remembered Kise's words: _"Can't you see what you did to us? You blame us for everything that happened, but you should know perfectly well that it was your fault in the first place!"_

Kagami gritted his teeth as he readied himself for the jump ball at the center of the court. He didn't like the discussion he had overheard, but right now he was going to drown himself in something he did understand; basketball and his obligation to win.

The ball flew up into the air between him and Otsubo, the Shutoku captain, and the game began. Kagami jumped up and pushed the ball towards Mitobe and they started in possession.

Kagami was beginning to doubt Kuroko and his trust in them. As he ran towards the basket, his mind was filled with mistrust.

The ball rose in front of him. Kagami knew that Kuroko had passed to him for an alley-oop. He remembered Aida's words in the locker room: "Go for a storm of an attack!"

He grabbed the ball in midair, almost fumbling with it for its speed and was about to dunk it in when Midorima slapped it out of his hands. Kagami's eyes widened as he fell back down on to the court and ran back for defense.

On the other side, Otsubo tried to score but Hyuga successfully blocked it. For two minutes, the teams ran back and forth in quick succession; neither of them scoring.

Kagami ran forward, seeing Midorima at the three-point line, knowing that she was going to score. He could already see her going into a shooting stance.

Kuroko's hand stopped him and the quickly uttered "please continue running" made the auburn-haired male turn around and run.

When he heard the gasps and cheers of the crowd, Kagami knew that Midorima had scored and probably taken the flow of the first quarter as well.

Kagami turned, just as he saw Kuroko reaching for the ball that had descended to the court. He began to spin, like a cyclone, and Kagami briefly blinked. He opened his eyes and saw the ball hurtling past Midorima's head and caught it before dunking it into the basket.

Even more cheers rose from the crowd as Kaami grinned.

Midorima growled, "Kuroko," as the baby blue-head passed by.

Kuroko responded monotonously, "I'm sorry, but we can't let you take the first quarter so easily."

Kagami watched as they exchanged a glance. He saw the determination in Kuroko's eyes and his fiery resolve. In Midorima's eyes he saw hatred, anger and a small glint that could have been respect—or something more.

Kagami felt it in the way Kuroko bumped fists with him. In the way his mind went blank and his vision blurred. This match would bode ill; not for the team, but for the trust between him and Kuroko. As he stood still for a few seconds, all he could think about was Kuroko's conversation with the Miracles and a strong urge and need to understand Kuroko.

And an unspecified rage directed towards Kuroko; for hiding the truth. Kagami already felt the strings being pulled tight, near the point of snapping. His trust was almost at breaking point.

_"You like basketball. Have you ever tried playing?" "No."_

_"I know this will sound absurd, but can you put me on during the next quarter?" "I want to show you something that I learned a long time ago—when I was in Teiko."_

_"It's true. I am the Phantom Sixth Player of the Generation of Miracles."_

_"The Generation of Miracles were my lights and I supported them from behind."_

Kagami remembered the photograph of Kuroko's teammates, taped preciously on the inside of Kuroko's locker.

The string of trust snapped.

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>Kuroko no Basuke rightfully belongs to Fujimaki Tadatoshi. The characters in this story do not belong to me. I only own the piece itself and the plotline. Any similar works are purely coincidental.

**Author's Note: **This is proof that my definition of a week is equal to a month. Someone needs to slap me for my lies and slow updates. Anyways thank for reading and thanks to those who showed their support! Almost 100 followers, wow, I feel honored. I think I just broke my heart with the last part there, so...bye, I hope you enjoyed!

_Next Chapter~ The Showdown between the Phantom and the Shooter...and unexpected complications of trust between Light and Shadow! The victor is...?_


	11. Chapter 10- Just their replacements!

**Chapter 10 : "Just their replacements!"**

The crowd was still hectic with the events that had just come to pass. Kise and Kasamatsu, after having returned to the stands, watched the scene from above. Nearby, the entire Seiho team stared at the court below them.

Kise's gold eyes trailed lazily after Midorima as she saw that the apple greenette had a furious expression on her face. Kise's eyes flicked in the direction that Midorima glared and saw Kuroko.

Despite her nonchalant demeanor, Kise felt surprised. Kuroko had used a cyclone pass—a feat that even the Miracles had rarely seen in middle school. Also, Kise understood that it was the perfect skill to push Midorima into a corner.

The blonde clucked her tongue in irritation. Kuroko was successfully putting Midorima into a difficult situation. Then again—a smile slipped on to her face as she thought—Midorima was not one to go down with such a small dilemma.

The ball was in Shutoku's hands again. Kise focused on the freshman point guard of Shutoku as he swiftly dribbled forward with a fake then passed off to the side. Kise blinked, her eyes furrowed. "Wasn't that a difficult pass?" the blonde directed her question to Kasamatsu.

Kasamatsu bit his bottom lip, watching as the Shutoku captain scored. "I should think so too. I think he might have the same type of ability as Seirin's point guard."

"What is that exactly?" Kise inquired sharply, but Kasamatsu's attention was on the court.

"Hey," he said all of a sudden. "Looks like Shutoku's switching marks. That point guard is on that number eleven kid."

"Number—" Kise's eyes widened. "No way! Why would they do that? No one can stop Kurokocchi's passes; it shouldn't matter who marks him."

Kasamatsu raised an eyebrow. "Kurokocchi?"

At that moment the match resumed and Kise leaned over to watch intently. Her golden eyes glinted as she caught a glimpse of Kuroko, the ball hurtling towards him in the air. She saw a pale hand smack the ball away towards Hyuga.

Then, Kise almost gasped in shock. The ball never reached its receiver. The Shutoku point guard had put a halt to the ball's trajectory. He had a smirk on his face and, even from her distance, Kise could see the obvious shock on Kuroko's face.

"Kurokocchi?" she frowned, golden eyes inquisitive. Her attention was completely on Kuroko, which gave her no time at all to register that Otsubo had made a basket.

Kuroko was staring at his hands, almost absent-mindedly as his teammates regarded him in bewilderment.

Kise directed her attention to the raven-haired point guard that was grinning slyly. It was the first time Kise had seen a person stop Kuroko's pass. She would've thought that one of the Generation of Miracles would be more likely to do such a thing.

Kise smirked at the thought. Regardless of who it was, Kuroko was up against a wall. As much as Kise wanted Kuroko to lose, she also wanted to watch as Kuroko tried to find a solution to his situation. Then either fail miserably in the process or lose anyway.

She knew perfectly well she wasn't some sort of sadist. Of course that wasn't the case. She simply loved the thrill of an entertaining match. What's the use of watching if she doesn't enjoy it?

* * *

><p>"Timeout! Seirin!" one of the officials called out. Kuroko and the rest of the players trudged back to the bench in silence. The baby blue-head took a seat on the bench, seemingly unaffected by the shock his teammates had received.<p>

In reality his calamity was just a mask. He had been as astonished as the rest of them when he saw Takao's hand slip out and catch the ball in his hand. Kuroko's hand shook beside him as he stared at the ground. Takao was his natural-born enemy, a person who could seal his strength with ease. He searched through his mind for a way to get past Takao; to overcome the threat he posed.

"Takao's ability," Izuki gasped out in all seriousness. "Is like my eagle eye. No, I think his range of vision is even bigger; it's the hawk eye."

Kuroko nodded in agreement as Izuki continued. "Since Kuroko's ability is to divert your attention, with a large range of vision you won't only be looking at Kuroko. Which means—" The raven-head looked to Kuroko for confirmation.

"Misdirection will not work on Takao-kun," Kuroko finished. Kuroko felt Kagami's disbelieving gaze on him but ignored it. A spark of an idea flickered inside his head and he scrutinized Takao who was chatting contentedly with his teammates. Maybe, Kuroko thought to himself, maybe there's a way to change his range of vision. Maybe he could...

"But," Kuroko continued. "Can't we continue this way? In these next eight minutes, is it possible to take the lead?"

Aida frowned, "Is it okay for you to play with Takao-kun on the court?" she asked.

"No," Kuroko replied bluntly. "It is a problem."

Aida groaned before inhaling and turning to the other players. Her eyes landed on Kagami before she finally spoke. "Fine then. I'm counting on you two; Kuroko-kun, Kagami-kun."

Kuroko nodded his assent but Kagami didn't move. The baby blue-head swiveled to look at the auburn-haired male. Kagami had droplets of sweat running down him and the auburn-head looked irritated and surprisingly depressed. He glanced at Kuroko and turned away, eyes furrowed.

Kuroko felt it. The look in Kagami's face was like a memory on replay. There was distrust, doubt and disappointment written on his expression. Kuroko's eyes widened as he reached a hand over to Kagami, his name on the tip of his tongue—and the whistle blew like a scream of terror.

The sound echoed in his ears and caused his heart to slam into his rib cage with excessive fright. Kuroko couldn't think, couldn't breathe as if someone had punched him in the chest and his heart had taken shock from the blow.

Kuroko stood and almost swayed off-balance. He walked forward and his eyes instinctively moved in Midorima's direction. She stood, looking back at him, with anticipation. Kuroko willed his thoughts and fears away and immersed himself in basketball as the whistle blew again.

_"I really thought what you said was right, Tetsu."_

Kuroko's cyan eyes were bleak. He peered at Kagami and he felt his pulse against his skin. Kagami didn't trust him. Kagami had lost faith in him. Kagami, no, it wasn't Kagami dashing after Midorima with intense determination.

"Ao...mine?" Kuroko uttered.

_"Tetsu!" _someone yelled in his head. The person continued to chant his name in a mantra.

"Kuroko!" the voice ripped him out of his mind. The ball hurtled in Kuroko's direction and the blue-haired boy swiped at it hastily. The sharp slapping sound of the ball hitting skin reached him as Takao intercepted the ball effortlessly.

Kuroko barely registered the fact as a voice whispered in the back of his mind. _"I don't even know how to receive your passes anymore."_

Kuroko mentally scolded himself, muting the voices in his head. He focused on the game, casting his cyan eyes around the court. He needed to keep his head if he was going to beat Takao. The baby-blue head turned and began to run for defense. He was near the center line when he saw Midorima—who was in possession—stop abruptly at the marked line.

Even before Midorima tensed up, Kuroko knew what she was going to do. Unconsciously he spoke out, "Kagami-kun!" and the auburn-haired male watched as Midorima straightened, letting the ball fly from her hands.

"From the center line?!" Kagami shouted in disbelief.

Kuroko spun around and let his eyes follow the ball that was falling downwards in its arch-like trajectory. Slowly, but surely, the ball sunk into the basket and bounced on to the court.

"Her range is..." Hyuga muttered quietly next to Kuroko.

"The whole half-court," Kuroko nodded to his captain. "And this, unfortunately, makes my pass ineffective," he explained quietly.

_"Passes? To who?" _the words hit him like a cannonball.

Hyuga's eyes darkened at his words and he shook his head. "Let's get those points back," he responded, pointing at the scoreboard that read 8 to 14 with Shutoku in the lead.

Izuki was already at the other side of the court, driving forward. He passed to Kagami who charged ahead, without sparing Kuroko a word.

Kuroko trailed after the auburn-haired male. When Midorima came to stand in front of Kagami, Kuroko heard the power forward's words.

"Such a little thing as the difference between two points and three points doesn't matter," he growled. "As long as I'm able to score!"

_"For Kise? Midorima? Murasakibara? Akashi? Or, me, but to what end?"_

Kuroko observed as Kagami swiftly glanced at him before throwing the ball for a three-pointer. Kuroko stared at the ball and almost didn't notice Kagami dashing by.

"What a clumsy shot," Takao stated.

"Maybe so," Kagami retorted as he ran. "Though if it goes in, that's good. If not..." the auburn-head jumped and slammed the ball into the basket. "Then I'll just force it in myself!"

_"Even though I can win all by myself, against anyone without your passes?"_

Kuroko turned away as Kagami fell back down to the court. A sharp pain in his chest was beginning to grow as it pierced deeper into his brain; memories, flashbacks, all his unconscious emotions and thoughts. An alley-oop, all by himself. A multitude of questions bombarded him. Did Kagami not need him? Was he unnecessary? In the way? Could he win on his own? Did Kagami even care?

The baby blue-head shook head to himself and began to run. The adrenaline in his veins pumped inside him and he let the steady beating in his ears and the sweat trickling down erase his thoughts. The scoreboard said that there were only three minutes left. He had to put everything in those three minutes, and afterwards he could think about Kagami.

Kagami or Aomine? He skidded to a halt as the thought rose into his mind. Kuroko shook his head again.

* * *

><p>Kagami ran back for defense, wiping the sweat off of his forehead. He shot a backwards glance at Midorima, a sharp grin on his face.<p>

The auburn-haired male continued to run, until he realized that Kuroko was following him from close behind.

Kagami gritted his teeth at the thought of Kuroko. He dashed forward as he saw the Shutoku players charging towards them. However, his mind wasn't completely in the game. His thoughts drifted to Kuroko and the Generation of Miracles; and an unstoppable pit of rage began to grow in him.

The auburn-haired male felt half-hearted. He could only contemplate Kuroko's reasons for hiding the truth—a truth which Kagami believed was insignificant in the gist of things. It was as if Kuroko had tried to avoid being associated to the Generation of Miracles or basketball at all. The thought depressed Kagami, to the point that he could hardly concentrate on what happened around him.

Kuroko, at first, had told him clearly that he had never played basketball. He proved that this was a lie when he revealed he was the Phantom Sixth Player in Teiko. Kuroko then acted as if the Generation of Miracles were everything to him. From what Kagami knew, the feeling was seemingly mutual, especially in Kise. It was as if they were all hiding a deep, dark secret. Then the Miracles screamed at Kuroko about betrayal and his retirement from the basketball team. Kagami could hardly grasp how such a tiny event was significant. All he understood was that Kuroko couldn't trust him and what he hid from the team could certainly make them lose faith in him.

Then again, that was already done for Kagami.

Otsubo scored a basket, earning two more points for Shutoku. Kagami's instincts made him dash ahead to take the points back.

Izuki rapidly passed the ball in Hyuga's direction. Hyuga was full of confidence as he shot a three-pointer and shouted "Who cares about 'kings'? Let them die!"

Kagami began to run back, looking at the board that told him of only a few seconds left in the first quarter. However, he felt the need to turn around, and as he did his dark red eyes widened a fraction. He started to run back, but even then he knew he wouldn't make it.

Midorima bent forward and released the ball in her hands, letting it fly into a large arch. The green-haired shooter stood just on the line at the end of the court.

"That's impossible!" Hyuga shouted. "How many meters is that?!"

Kagami stopped to turn and watched with as his heart pounded in his chest. He followed the ball with his sight as it slowly flew into the basket, the sound of the ball slipping through the net echoing in his head.

In his view, he could see the phantom player standing stock still as the ball landed on to the wooden floor. The baby blue-head spun around to face the greenette with a broken expression.

It was an expression Kagami had never seen before. A dead, dull look in his eyes with a tiny spark in the corners. An almost lost look was on his face, and his jaw was tense, as if he were gritting his teeth. Kagami nearly forgot the frustrations he had felt for Kuroko moments before, but they fell on his shoulders again as the baby blue-head turned around.

"So, this is the power of the Generation of Miracles," Kagami whispered to himself as the buzzer rang around them. Kise had said something similar before, Kagami thought; _"We are unbeatable."_

Kagami sunk on to the bench, eyes focused on the straight lines embedded in the wooden floor. He heard his teammates speaking as if through a wall that wasn't thick enough.

"Was that since middle school?" Aida asked Kuroko, her voice sounding soft and blurred in Kagami's ears.

"No," Kagami could barely hear Kuroko's voice. "As far as I knew, her range was the entire half-court, but not..." Kuroko paused and remained silent.

Kagami didn't want to look at the baby blue head. He didn't want to see that pale, emotionless face or hear that quiet voice because it elicited a rage so passionate that he could hardly control it.

Kagami felt a sharp pain and realized how deep his trust for Kuroko went, and how much he suffered when he understood how little Kuroko reciprocated the feeling. He didn't care how long he had known Kuroko, but ever since their first meeting he just knew that Kuroko was his partner. His mind had been groggy and confused but his body had acted on the idea. It could be considered fate or destiny. However he had a firm hand around the concept and his wart refused to let go.

Kuroko was his partner, right? He tried to convince himself that Kuroko trusted him but all the arrow signs pointed in the opposite direction.

"Kuroko-kun." Again, Aida's foggy voice returned. "I know you may feel tired but can you try to stay on for the second quarter?"

Kagami turned to look and saw Kuroko nodding indifferently. Kagami felt the insufferable pain again and glanced away. His dark red eyes met Midorima's dull green ones and for a few moments the two glared at each other.

This time, Kagami felt something different. It was like a strong pump of blood flowing through his veins; an extra burst of strength coming from deep within him. Suddenly the voices and sounds heightened like a starburst and the light burned brightly in front of him.

Seeing Midorima, something stirred inside him. The lava pit in his stomach broiled and a monster of strength, rage and determination rose from it.

Kagami felt awake and alive. In front of him, as if the words were literally written in the air, he could see his goal. "Beat the Generation of Miracles."

Forget Kuroko. Forget light and shadow. Kagami was going to play to his fullest and attack with all his strength and he would win, whether Kuroko was there or not.

If Kuroko didn't trust him, he wouldn't trust Kuroko. Simple enough.

* * *

><p>Kuroko dashed across the court, eyes flickering from player to player. He saw Takao, hot on his heels, and gritted his teeth. Kuroko spun around to face Midorima, the ball bouncing from the court to her hands.<p>

Midorima's expression was like his own; placid, knowledgeable, calm. Midorima charged ahead, almost ignoring Kuroko as she went.

Kuroko shot his hand forward, his fingertips reaching for the ball, but only scraping against skin. The baby blue-head looked up and—unsurprisingly—saw Takao smirking down at him. "I'm kind of getting tired of this," Takao spoke. "Haven't you thought of anything yet?"

Kuroko bit his bottom lip. "No," he replied. "Not yet."

"You also shouldn't take things with people's backs turned," Takao mockingly scolded. "It's rude."

Kuroko ignored him, glimpsing Kagami and Midorima over Takao's shoulder. Kagami faced the greenette, arms widely spread. Kuroko surveyed the scene as Midorima raced around Kagami and threw the ball in a perfect arc.

Kuroko turned away with silence and ran past Takao for the attack. Kuroko stopped and looked at Kagami, blinking his eyes slowly. "Kagami-kun," he called to the auburn-head but he didn't seem to hear.

Izuki had the ball in his hands and glanced around. He caught sight of him and Kuroko moved to stand at the ready. The ball flew towards him and instinctively he pushed the hurtling object in Kagami's direction.

Kuroko's cyan eyes widened with shock. Shock, not from Takao's easily performed block nor from Midorima's speed as she took the ball and threw it.

Kuroko eyed Kagami's slumped figure, his hands frozen at his sides as if time had stopped them in place. Even so, Kuroko knew. When Kuroko had passed the ball to Kagami, the auburn-head had barely moved. Kagami hadn't even planned on receiving Kuroko's pass. Be it Kagami's lack in faith or his new-born anger, Kagami was not going to receive his pass.

Kuroko almost shattered to pieces. The image was much like what he had experienced before. It was almost as if Aomine stood before him, her navy hair whipping in the dark rain as she uttered that she couldn't receive his passes—that she didn't need them.

The ball bounced to the floor.

Kuroko could sense his team's growing desperation. He heard Hyuga ordering Izuki to pass the ball to other people. Was he losing faith in him too?

The baby blue-head watched like a bystander as his teammates took points and had them stolen. Kuroko saw Midorima shooting a three-pointer from the opposite side of the court. Nothing seemed important anymore. The court seemed surreal and he felt like an otherworldly entity watching from above; uncaring, not sharing in the heat and sweat on the court or the determination running in their veins.

Then, in the corner of his vision he saw it. Kagami stood, staring at the basketball at the other end of the court and at Midorima who was moving down the court. Kuroko averted his eyes; the brightly lit fire in Kagami's eyes were the blinding sun's rays. Kagami grinned and Kuroko remembered seeing Kagami during his match against Kise.

The stronger the opponent, Kuroko thought to himself, the stronger he grows. _'And the stronger he grows,' _the voice whispered in his head. _'The farther he becomes. The less he'll need you. The more he relies on himself. The more he becomes like the Generation of Miracles.'_

In that instant, Kuroko woke up. He opened his eyes and he saw what was happening, registered everything. This was happening. This was reality.

Aomine stood nearby with a lopsided grin on her face. Aomine stood in front of him, rain falling down her face as she told him she didn't need him. Slowly, the images melted and the figures blurred and it wa Kagami grinning and Kagami in the rain.

Stop, he said to himself. Stop and look. He looked at Kagami, actually looked, and saw him for the first time. It wasn't Aomine, it never was. It was Kagami; his partner, his friend and his light. A shadow supports its light. He would support Kagami, even if he lost faith in Kuroko, even if he refused to receive his passes. Kuroko would keep sending them, because he wanted to trust Kagami, wanted him to understand, so Kuroko would do what he didn't do with Aomine. He would keep playing no matter what.

* * *

><p>The buzzer rang loud and clear as the two teams trooped back to the locker rooms. The Shutoku players were completely relaxed, however, the Seirin players were far from such. Behind them the scoreboard glinted brightly: 27 to 45, Shutoku's lead.<p>

Kagami eased himself down on to one of the benches in the locker room, pulling on a jacket. He wiped at the cool sweat on his forehead. The room was eerily silent as the players replayed the events of the game in their heads.

In the corner, he saw Kuroko watching a videotape. As if everyone had noticed at the same time, Izuki asked, "What are you doing Kuroko?"

The baby blue-head looked up from the video. "I'm looking at the video I took just now. Looking for Takao's weakness."

"Did you find it?" the point guard asked.

Kuroko only murmured incomprehensibly in response. Kagami clenched his fists, the thought of the game and Kuroko giving him a headache. Questions ran through his head: was Midorima possible to beat? Could he even win this match? What is Kuroko hiding? Why can't he trust us?

"I always think I want to win," Kuroko's voice tugged Kagami out of his thoughts. "So I never really thought about _if_ I could win."

Kagami's red eyes widened but he didn't turn to look at Kuroko fully. Instead, he kept his eyes on the bit of orange rubber that peeked out of his duffel bag.

"But you never know," Kuroko continued. "Even if we were losing by a hundred points, a meteorite could crash into our opponent's bench during the last seconds of the game. Which is why, I will muster all of my strength and fight until the last whistle blows."

"Seriously Kuroko?" Hyuga asked. "Meteorites don't just fall at your convenience!"

Tsuchida piped up, "Let's say something more plausible...like our opponents all get food poisoning."

"How is that plausible?" Hyuga shot him down.

Kagami listened as the group began to argue about which misfortunes would most likely fall upon their opponents. Kuroko's words rang in his head. He needed to fight until the end, no matter what. That was the only way he could win.

"Does it matter?!" Kagami stood. He sucked a deep breath in before calmly adding. "Just...we just need to keep going after the ball, and do as much as we can, right?"

The auburn-haired player turned and saw the Seirin players smiling at him. The only thing that irked him was the fact that Kuroko's cyan eyes still rested on the video tape. Kuroko wouldn't even look at him.

He knows, Kagami thought with a sudden pang of realization, he knows I don't trust him. The realization irritated him further as the players stood and trooped out of the locker rooms. As Kuroko brushed past him, Kagami almost wanted to scream at him, to tell him to say something, but all he was given was silence.

Kagami stared at Kuroko as the baby blue-head turned to glance at him. Kuroko raised a fisted hand to his chest, a slight curve on his lips.

Kagami watched as Kuroko turned the corner and left the room. Kagami threw his jacket off and stepped out if the locker rooms and towards the match that awaited him. He would not lose. He wouldn't accept defeat. There would be no failure, no loss, not now or ever. He didn't need Kuroko to help him, he could do it on his own. He was strong enough.

However, Kagami couldn't understand Kuroko's gesture. Was it a sign of understanding? No, why would Kuroko be smiling then. Kagami wanted to go back a few seconds in time and freeze it. What was Kuroko trying to tell him?

Unsure, Kagami stepped on to the court, casting a quick look towards the benched players. Kuroko still held the recorder in his hands, his eyes intent on the video. The buzzer rang and Kagami slipped over to the center circle.

The ball flew up between the auburn-haired male and Otsubo. Immediately, Kagami's thoughts dispelled into a surge of instinct. Kagami jumped, his leg muscles stretching as he tipped the ball into Hyuga's hands. He grinned at the accomplishment but it soon faded as he saw the ball flying out of Hyuga's hands and into Midorima's.

Instinctively Kagami ran, his legs dragging him forward like a bullet. He was in front of Midorima when the ball flew out of her hands.

Kagami jumped but missed. His hands didn't even touch the ball. He gritted his teeth as he fell to the floor. Higher, he thought, I need to go higher.

Kagami charged on, barely glancing as Izuki passed the ball to Koganei and the second-year small forward took two points back.

Kagami closed his eyes and concentrated. He saw Takao running forward with the ball in hand. Kagami ran after Midorima, but the greenette was faster than she let on.

Midorima caught the ball in her fingers and crouched to shoot. During that moment, a thought etched itself into Kagami's mind.

Kuroko's words in the locker room pounded in him. Kagami thought of all the times he had felt a surge of power when facing a difficult opponent. He remembered how he would always grow tougher, jump higher as the game went on. _"I never thought if I could win," _Kuroko had said. Kagami's eyes snapped open wildly. This game wouldn't have meaning though, the words burned in his brain, not unless I win!

Kagami leaped. A stinging pain went through his middle finger as he hit the ball. The basketball soared through the air and uncertainty fell into the basket, bouncing as it went.

Midorima stood with her narrow eyes wide open. She pursed her lips in contemplation before she opened her mouth and asked, "What is your horoscope?"

Kagami, taken aback, replied slowly and sharply. "I'm Leo."

The greenette stared at him. "So that's what they meant by 'watch out for Leos.' The horoscope program is so strange," she murmured to herself before moving away.

Kagami had his attention fixed on Midorima. He ran by instinct but her question confused him, but also made him grin with satisfaction. Midorima had felt irked and that was an achievement.

Hyuga scored a three-pointer and the ball was in Shutoku's hands. Kagami ran to face Midorima as she received the ball from Takao. Her eyes enlarged as she registered the full court press and box-and-one formation that Seirin had taken.

She smirked and Kagami felt a vein throb in his forehead. "You've already tried that," she growled, unimpressed. "It won't work."

Midorima sped past Kagami and the auburn-head turned to collide into Takao. Kagami growled between his teeth and ran around Takao, chasing after Midorima.

"I found your weakness," Kagami yelled to get Midorima's attention. The apple greenette was already poised, preparing to throw. Kagami willed his legs to go faster, to reach any height. "The farther away from the basket you are," Kagami continued. "The longer it takes to make the shot!"

Kagami saw the ball being released. He jumped and once again he felt his middle finger scrape across the ball. The auburn-head smirked as he saw the ball fly and bounce off the hoop. Soon, he felt it dissolve into a frown as Otsubo took the rebound and dunked it in.

Kagami's head throbbed. A little more, he urged himself, just a little more higher.

Down the court, Koganei's lay-up got blocked and the players had moved into defensive positions. Koganei and Mitobe were double teaming Otsubo.

Kagami knew what would happen. He began to charge ahead, towards Midorima. He was only a meter away when he saw Takao passing to the apple green-head.

Higher, he told himself, go higher!

The auburn-head was in front of Midorima now. She had the ball balanced between her fingers, ready to set loose. It flew. Kagami jumped.

Unconsciously, Kagami screamed "Higher!" He felt his palm connect with the rubber ball and he jerked his hand downwards. The ball fell on the ground. Midorima's astonished face was priceless.

"Another weakness," Izuki spoke as he took up the abandoned ball. "If you shoot from that far and her blocked, it's closer to our basket." Izuki performed a lay-up and got two points for them.

The game continued. Kagami smirked, his mind clear. He could do this. Midorima could be blocked, could be beat. She wasn't unbeatable as Kise had told him she was.

Kagami watched as Otsubo received the ball and moved to dunk. Kagami gazed and before he knew it, his legs muscles had twitched into action. He couldn't let them score. He couldn't let Shutoku win. He had to score. He had to block. He had to win. He could do it, he could do it without Kuroko, without his teammates. He could win alone.

He felt the ball against his hand as it fell I the court. "Foul, black number 10," the official called but Kagami didn't care. He had stopped them from scoring. That was enough.

The auburn-head glanced at the bench and he saw the appreciative smiles of his fellow teammates, some full of admiration.

The red-head flicked his eyes in Kuroko's direction and he saw, not shock, not admiration, not despair. Kagami saw disappointment, anxiety, and a dull nothingness. What was Kuroko thinking about?

Kagami felt a deep surge of anger. He turned away and sped on, without thinking. The urge to block, to score, to win was so powerful. It pulled him forward, dragged him higher, forced him to do everything.

Kagami dunked the ball, sweat dripping down his face. Koganei passed by, saying "That's great Kagami!"

The auburn-head turned to look at his upperclassman. "Can you pass the ball to me more?" he asked. Koganei blinked with confusion. "I'll score alone," Kagami explained darkly. Koganei's eyes widened but he nodded uncertainly.

Kagami continued. He blocked Miyaji's shoot from behind and took the ball for himself. He dribbled it, and ignoring his blocker, tossed it in. He hardly noted how much sweat dripped from him or how hard he was panting.

Midorima sneered at the sight of him. She faced off with Kagami, bending her knees to shoot.

"I'll stop you!" Kagami roared but his legs wouldn't move. They ached and refused to budge no matter how hard he tried. He could only gaze at Midorima throwing the ball in easily.

"Too bad," she commented. "This is reality."

Exhaustion. Kagami didn't want to admit it but he knew. He wouldn't accept it though. He could still run, still jump. He got the ball and charged ahead of his own teammates. "Shut up!" he said to Midorima. "I won't stand for it!"

"Idiot!" Hyuga shouted behind him. "That's too rash!"

Kagami leaped to score but was easily blocked. He fell to the ground, observing as one of the Shutoku players ran down the court and scored.

Kagami exhaled, shakily. He felt the sweat drenched on him. He could feel the numb pain of exertion tingling in his legs and arms. He wouldn't stop. He couldn't. He was the only one who could win this.

"End of the third quarter!" the buzzer rang.

"Damn it!" Kagami yelled as he collapsed on to the bench.

"Calm down," Izuki spoke. "You're getting too worked up."

Hyuga nodded in agreement. "Just now, that wasn't the place to charge forward. You should've turned the ball back—"

"What we need now isn't teamwork," Kagami interrupted. "It's me scoring! I'm the only one on par with Shutoku, so just give me the ball."

At those words, the Seirin players stilled. Aida fidgeted as if she were going to slap Kagami but someone moved in front of her.

Kagami looked up and saw Kuroko. Before he knew it, the auburn-head felt a force against his cheek as Kuroko punched him. "What the hell Kuroko?!" Kagami shouted.

Kagami grabbed Kuroko's shirt, however the baby blue-head remained impassive. "Basketball is not a one-man sport," Kuroko asserted. "What is the point if you win alone?"

"You mean it's okay to lose as long as everyone enjoys it? Don't kid with me Kuroko!" Kagami growled. "There's no point if we don't win!"

"Is there any meaning if you win alone?!" Kuroko's voice rose slightly. "You think exactly like the Generation of Miracles! Even if we win against Shutoku like this, no one will be happy!"

Kagami's dark red eyes widened. "Shut up!" He slammed his fist into Kuroko. Kuroko fell to the floor of the court. "If we lose, that's just trash-talk!"

"Then...what is victory?" Kuroko questioned quietly. Kagami thought he heard the softest crack in the boy's voice. "If at the end of a game, we have a higher score than the other team..." Kuroko's voice audibly cracked this time. "If no one is happy, is it really a victory?"

Kagami felt Kuroko's words seep into him, but a part of him couldn't accept it. "And you think," Kagami responded with equal softness. "That I could be happy when I'm not even trusted? That 'we' could win if you don't trust us? Or me?!"

Kuroko's cyan eyes widened and Kagami raged on. "You speak so high-mindedly when you don't even know what you're talking about! You say we should win by teamwork but how is our team supposed to battle together when we have no trust?"

Aida held a hand out to intervene but Kagami continued, ignoring her. "You say we should trust each other when you can't do it yourself! You tell me to trust you, to play as your light, to work as your partner but you don't have any faith in me! You hide things from us, you lie and you pretend as if there's nothing wrong when all there is about you are problems you hide and secrets you don't tell!"

"Kagami," Hyuga spoke up, his tone wavering.

"You act as if the Generation of Miracles are everything to you and that we're just their replacements! You say 'teamwork' but do the opposite! You don't trust me which is why I can't trust you, and I can't rely on you either! What's a team without trust?" Kagami huffed. "If you don't trust me—"

"I'm trying!" Kuroko's voice was rough and shattered. "I'm trying to trust you. Can't you see it? But wherever I go, whatever I do, all I see is _them_! I want to trust you, I want to believe you but..." Kuroko clenched his teeth.

Kagami briefly remembered Kuroko's gesture in the locker room. It wasn't a gesture of understanding, or want, or anything like that. It was a gesture of...he wasn't sure...but of faith and trust. Something that said "I'm here." Kagami didn't know where Kuroko had learned it or how he expected Kagami to understand but now he got what Kuroko was trying to tell him.

He was wrong. Kagami was wrong. Kuroko had been, from the very start, trying to trust him. What he had thought was insignificant proved much bigger, much more affecting than Kuroko had made it seem. Maybe what Kuroko was hiding was harsher or crueller than it came off as. Kagami knew that maybe Kuroko didn't trust him, but he believed in him. Kuroko believed in him to win, to understand and to have faith in Kuroko himself.

Kagami felt an invisible tug that tried to pull him down. He sank to the ground in front of Kuroko and chewed on his bottom lip. "I'm still mad," he began. "I am still so angry that I could punch you in the face at least fifty times."

Kuroko looked up into his eyes and Kuroko almost looked closed to tearing up. "But," Kagami breathed out. "But I want to win this match. No matter what. I want you to tell me everything, but now I'm here to win...so," Kagami stood and extended a hand towards Kuroko. "Let's win this thing."

Kuroko slowly reached forward and took his hand. Kagami jerked Kuroko forward and the phantom sixth man stood, on his two feet. Kagami could see Kuroko's hands shaking slightly, but the baby blue-head had rebuilt that mask of indifference. His eyes were like two blue tongues of fire as he nodded, dragging the shirt and revealing his jersey.

Kagami watched as Kuroko fiddled with the wristband on his arm. "I have an idea," Kuroko started slowly. "I can only pass around, but there is one more level on top of that." Kuroko looked Kagami straight in the eyes. "I know that Kagami-kun can catch it."

Kuroko said "I know." Not I hope, I believe, he said "I know." Kagami grinned lightly and nodded. He felt Kuroko's faith in him surge through him from the ache in his cheek.

When he thought Kuroko didn't trust him, Kagami had decided not to trust Kuroko. Now, even if it sounded absurd or untruthful, he knew that Kuroko believed in him. So, if Kuroko believed in him, he would believe in Kuroko.

* * *

><p>The sound of his breathing sounded faint in comparison to the palpitations of his heart. His heart was a ticking bomb, counting down the seconds until it exploded in a frenzy. Kuroko inhaled deeply, trying to clear his agitated mind.<p>

His confrontation with Kagami was clearly drawn in his mind. Kuroko listened as Kagami shouted at him, about trust and teamwork and the Generation of Miracles. One sentence in particular had burned itself into his subconscious. _"You act as if the Generation of Miracles are everything to you and that we're just their replacements!"_

Kuroko shuddered at the notion because he recognized—with a dreadful feeling—that it was true. On the other hand, Kagami had told him that he wanted to win and he would do everything to win. Although Kagami didn't actually say it, Kuroko could hear it; when Kagami said "Let's win this thing," he had implied the word _'together.'_

Which was why Kuroko stood on the court at that very moment, gazing at Kagami's straight back in front of him. Kuroko often looked at it and realized how reliable and powerful it looked. The whistle shrieked and Kuroko watched—as if in awe—at the ball flying into the air.

They had the ball. Kuroko ran forward, Takao nearby. Kagami was in possession and he swiftly passed to Mitobe who scored. The score was 49 to 61. Kuroko closed his eyes and inhaled.

Shutoku now had the ball. Kuroko remembered what Aida had said to Kagami before the match started. He only had two jumps left. She had told him to save the first for an important shot and the second...

Midorima ran, dribbling the ball at her side. She halted and held the ball in her hands, moving into a shooting stance and tossing the ball.

In his peripheral, Kuroko saw Kagami. Aida's words returned to Kuroko. _"Then, save the second to—" _Kagami jumped and slammed the ball back down. _"...to stop the first fourth quarter shot by Midorima!"_

Izuki received the ball and threw it, making the score 51 to 61. A single digit difference.

Kuroko smiled softly. He made eye contact with Aida and nodded his head slightly. Kagami had used his jump to put up the false impression that he still had power left. Therefore, it was up to Kuroko now.

Takao stood in front of him with the hint of a smirk on his face. "Seems like they have high expectations for you," he stated. "But I'll stop you."

Kuroko ignored him and used his misdirection. He knew, as Takao gaped and looked around frantically, that it had worked. However, Kuroko knew Takao would be smart enough.

As the ball flew towards him, Kuroko readied his hand, exposing the palm. Takao slipped in between Kuroko and Kagami but Kuroko didn't stop. "You won't get it this time," he said, speaking to no one in particular. "All of my passes in the past changed direction, but this one accelerates."

Kuroko slammed his palm into the ball and it flew like a cannon into Kagami's hand. The auburn-head raced toward the basket, only to face Midorima. "I'll definitely stop you!" she yelled.

Kuroko saw Kagami's mind at work. Kagami sprang up, the ball in one hand and slammed it into the basket, just above Midorima.

At that moment, Kuroko knew that Kagami had used his last jump for this. The baby blue-head felt a surge of strength and confidence run through him simultaneously.

Kuroko remembered a conversation he had once had with Midorima and Kise in middle school.

_"You know, I think that dunks are the best technique for scoring," Kise commented cheerfully, one day after basketball practice. She, Midorima and Kuroko were walking to the convenience store for popsicles._

_Midorima, who had been a little ways ahead turned at the words with a severe frown on her face. "Are you stupid Kise? Of course it's better to shoot three-pointers. You get three points after all."_

_Kuroko blinked at the greenette's words and whilst thinking that it sounded very much like Midorima, he disagreed. "Sometimes," he spoke up and the two girls looked at him simultaneously. "You are stupid, Midorima-san."_

_Midorima stopped walking and defended herself in a flustered way. "I'm right though. Between two points and three points, wouldn't it be better to choose the one with more value?"_

_Kuroko simply shook his head and Kise wrapped it all up by saying, "Still, I think dunks are cooler."_

"Kuroko," Kagami said to him quietly. "Coach was right. I don't think I can jump anymore." Then, slowly the auburn-head put a hand on Kuroko's shoulder. "So, I'm counting on you for the rest."

Kuroko's eyes widened a fraction but he nodded assertively.

The match went on. After the dunk, the Seirin players felt reinvigorated. They made more plays and scored, relying on their Phantom Sixth Man to circulate passes. Soon, there were only three minutes left in the game and a four-point difference.

"I didn't think you could get all the way here," Midorima declared to Kuroko.

The baby blue-head spun to look at the greenette behind him. "Midorima-san, you used to tell us that a dunk was a two-point shot," Kuroko recounted. "Your three pointers are truly miraculous, but that dunk was a play that encouraged us to go on, something that no one can measure in points."

Midorima glared, hands curling into fists.

Seirin scored again and now they were two points away. The whistle blew, calling for a time out from Shutoku's side.

Kuroko watched the Shutoku bench intently, Midorima nodding and the upperclassmen gritting their teeth as if something unpleasant was going on.

Kuroko turned back to his own teammates. "Kuroko-kun," Aida spoke calmly. "I think they'll concentrate their attacks from Midorima. Since Kagami can't jump anymore, we're going to need your skills there."

The baby blue-head surveyed the understanding faces around him. Kagami grinned, nodding his head. "Yes," Kuroko affirmed.

Aida's prediction was dead-on. Miyaji tossed the ball towards Midorima as the greenette leaned to receive it. Kuroko tensed as he slipped in between and intercepted the ball.

"Kuroko!" Midorima growled with annoyance.

The ball skimmed into Hyuga's hands and the captain attempted to score. Kuroko frowned as he saw Hyuga's shot being blocked by Otsubo.

The pace only slowed from there. The scoreboard remained frozen on the numbers 76 to 78. Kuroko turned in desperation as he saw Midorima catch the ball score a three-pointer.

Kuroko gritted his teeth as he saw 40 seconds on the clock.

"Pass to me!" Hyuga shouted to Izuki. The captain balanced the ball between his fingertips and let it fly, earning 3 points for Seirin. They were now 2 points behind.

"There's no time!" Aida shouted from the bench. "You have to stop this attack!"

The words reached Kuroko's ears and the hastened ahead sliding in between his opponents and slapping the ball to Izuki. Izuki caught it but Takao pushed the ball out-of-bounds.

Kuroko examined the scene. Otsubo marked Hyuga, and Kuroko immediately realized that they were doing anything to stop any three-pointers.

Mitobe threw the ball in towards Izuki. Izuki dribbled the ball, stopping near Otsubo. Kagami rammed in between Hyuga and Otsubo as a screen. "It's weak," Otsubo murmured as he moved around Kagami.

The center of Shutoku noticed Hyuga running forward and Izuki releasing the ball. Hyuga stopped as Kuroko stepped in and hurtled the ball in Hyuga's direction.

"That far away from the three-point line?!" Otsubo shouted incredulously.

"Take the game Hyuga!" Izuki yelled.

There were ten seconds left. Hyuga crouched and let the ball fly from his hands. The ball flew, and slipped through the net of the basket.

The stands erupted. "Seirin won the game in the last few seconds!" some cheered.

Kuroko smiled softly as he peered around him. He ceased in the movement when he saw Takao on the other side, shouting out, "Not yet!"

Takao threw the ball towards Midorima and the greenette caught it. She faced off against Kagami, handling the ball with a composed expression. "Do you want to know why I trained to shoot from any distance? It's not because it gives three points!" she informed.

"I learned it so I could excel at the buzzer beater!" Midorima revealed. Kagami's eyes were widening and Kuroko began to rush over to the pair.

Kagami's muscles tensed as Midorima crouched. Just at the moment that Midorima seemed as if she were going to release the ball, Kagami flew into the air.

Midorima smirked victoriously. "I believed in you Kagami," she smiled. "I believed you would jump, even without the strength to do it, so I held on to the ball."

Kuroko was there, right behind Midorima. "I believed too," he announced. Midorima was turning to gape at him. "I also believed that Midorima-san would think the same thing and hold on to the ball." Kuroko hit the ball out of Midorima's hands, one second left on the clock. "It's...over..." Kuroko panted. The buzzer rang around the stadium.

Kuroko smiled as his teammates laughed and grinned with joy. Aida was crying tears of joy and Hyuga smiled beside her. The benched players were all running on to the court, grinning and congratulating. Kagami, who stood opposite Kuroko, reached a hand out and ruffled his hair. It was over, they had won.

Midorima was nearby, her apple green eyes on the ground. Her face looked contorted as if with disgust. Kuroko realized what it was and felt a pain in his heart.

Midorima glanced up to look directly at Kuroko. Her eyes weren't dull as they usually were. There were bright sparks in each corner as if she were tearing up. The coldness in the green color had disappeared, replaced by loss, defeat and acceptance. She looked at Kuroko, no frown, grimace or sneer on her face. Her mouth was a straight line, her jaw tense with pressure.

Kuroko put a fist to his chest. He saw Kagami blinking at him with incredulity and confusion. Midorima turned, but raised her left hand in response. A sign of parting, and a sign of acknowledgement.

* * *

><p>Midorima spun away from the court and the rest of her teammates and the Seirin players. She didn't even bother to change as she stepped out into the chilly night air. Rain pattered down from the gray, unlit sky. She basked in the droplets of water that fell down on her skin, cooling her face and making her hair drip with liquid.<p>

She stood in semi-darkness, a nearby telephone pole burning brightly in the blackness. Behind her, the wall of the stadium stood against the cloudy backdrop. She leaned forward, closing her eyes and counting in her head to calm her pounding heart.

"Midorima-san," the soft voice jerked her out of her reverie. She blinked to see Kuroko, still clad in his jersey and a towel draped around his neck.

"Leave," Midorima growled softly. "Kuroko," she added like an afterthought.

"No," Kuroko replied bluntly. They stood, face-to-face, the rain slipping down their sweat-slickened faces. They bore their eyes into each other before Midorima turned her head away.

"Just leave, will you? I lost to you only a few minutes ago. Do you really think I want to see you?" Midorima spoke sharply. "Go away."

"Yes," Kuroko answered. Midorima perked up at the strange response. "I mean, I do think you want to see me," Kuroko elaborated.

Midorima gritted her teeth in annoyance. "There is a limit to conceit," she replied.

Kuroko frowned, a small curve of his lips. "I am not conceited."

Rain poured down, more strongly than before. She saw a droplet fall into Kuroko's baby blue hair and watched it slip down his forehead and around the rim of his wide eyes.

"You won," Midorima grudgingly stated. "You won. Now stop rubbing it in my face and go."

"You've never lost before, have you?" Kuroko softly asked.

Midorima flinched at the words and clenched her fists tightly. "I do not want to discuss this. Not now, not later; never. So drop it."

Kuroko's mouth tightened into a firm line. "Okay. I will leave." Midorima let a soft sigh escape from her lips.

"But," Kuroko continued and he moved forward to stand only centimeters away from Midorima. "You should really go inside."

"I appreciate your concern," Midorima sneered. "But no thank you."

Kuroko shrugged before turning away. He felt at the towel around his neck and suddenly turned back to Midorima. Without a word or consent, he slipped the towel off his neck and draped it over Midorima's head.

"You'll catch a cold," he muttered. "At least take that from me." With those words he walked away, becoming a dark shadow in the distance.

Midorima felt at the soft and fluffy material on her head. She dragged it off of her face, her hand wet with the moisture from it. "What's the point?" she spat. "It's already wet."

A small, almost invisible smile appeared on her face. Of course, she thought to herself as she dragged the towel to cover her eyes and head. "Oh," she muttered as she leaned against the wall that stood behind her.

"Of course," she said out loud, her voice cracking. "That was why." She wondered what kind of face she had made, or whether Kuroko's power of perception were strong enough to read her easily. Before she knew it, there was hot liquid trailing down her cheeks, mingling with the cold raindrops from above.

She buried her face in the towel and sat down despite the falling rain. "I lost," her choked whisper was lost in the sound of the rain. "I lost," she repeated, her voice like a fragile glass cracked into pieces. She gasped into the towel and she said it once more, to make it real. "I lost."

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>Kuroko no Basuke rightfully belongs to Fujimaki Tadatoshi. The characters in this story do not belong to me. I only own this piece itself and the plotline. Any similar works are purely coincidental.

**Author's Note: **So here is another installment uploaded! And it's a time for celebration because I now have 100+ followers, hence the extra long chapter! Thank you so much everyone! As some of you may or may have not noticed, the summary has changed slightly to fit the story. Anyways, thank you for all your support (as always) and until next time!

_Next Chapter~A Chance Encounter at a Okonomiyaki Shop! Midorima speaks about Aomine, and a talk between the Miracles about Midorima's loss ensues!_


	12. Chapter 11- See you around

**Chapter 11 : "See you around"**

The rain pounded against the roof of the gymnasium as Midorima reentered the facility, streams of water slipping down her skin and clothes; her hair sticky with sweat and precipitation. The apple greenette shivered and fidgeted in the sudden uncomfortable warmth of indoors. She tugged the towel tighter around her neck, admittedly feeling comfortable with the lukewarm cloth.

Midorima froze in her steps as an unmistakable body appeared around the corner. The blonde model had tied her hair up, revealing two golden orbs of ferocity. Kise's mouth twitched as she placed a hand on her hip and smoothly spoke; "Where have you been?"

The greenette tensed at Kise's words but she shook her hands loose. "None of your business," Midorima snapped, regaining a bit of her usual severe tone. There was, though, a wavering note in her voice and her throat was dry and cracked. Her usually snappy words were crackling paper disinegrating into ashes.

Kise looked contemplative as she edged closer to the greenette. "Your eyes are red," she whispered dangerously soft. Her pink mouth curved upwards at the ends in a smirk that should never be printed. "And you sound like a dying animal. You were crying."

Midorima gritted her teeth and shoved Kise out of the way. "I have not," she replied haughtily. "As if I would cry over a simple defeat. I am no child." She strutted away from Kise, a hand gripping Kuroko's towel in desperation for comfort.

"It seems," Kise called after Midorima. "That Kurokocchi went to see you." Midorima halted in her tracks, her fingers digging in to her palms. Her ears rang alarmingly and the dull echo of footsteps behind her remained unheard. "Didn't he?" Kise murmured to Midorima, right behind the greenette.

Before Midorima could spin around, Kise lunged for the wet towel and ripped it from the greenette's hands. "This is the evidence!" Kise cried triumphantly, taking careful steps backwards and keeping her focus on the towel.

"It's not—" Midorima began. She hesitated when Kise tightened her hand on the cloth and grinned. The blonde pretended to rip the cloth in a jeering way, smirking the entire time.

"It is though," Kise concluded happily. "This is undeniable. This is Kurokocchi's."

Midorima sighed and leaned against the wall next to her. "And if it is...?" she inquired tiredly, hands fumbling with the air at the loss of the towel.

Kise chuckled and folded the towel neatly, stuffing it into her bag. "For keeps," she laughed heartily. "Or do you want it back?"

Midorima's eyes widened as she realized Kise's challenging expression. This was not a simple game of friendly stealing and mocking. This was a dangerous discussion; a drawing of alliances. Now that she had lost, she could accept the error of her ways or continue on as she had done before. Then again, the answer was laid out in front of her in crystal truth. Midorima did not want to lose anymore, but to gain victory, she would need more than just her own strength. There was little she could do by herself. She knew how to reply.

Midorima could take the hand proffered by Kuroko; the hand that deals with acceptance and teamwork: a trust that she never felt before. Or, she could plough on in solitude and never have another chance to turn back.

"I don't need something like that," Midorima spat disgustedly. "As if I would need to collect items like a crazed fanatical stalker."

Kise frowned at the insult but her eyes had brightened. Obviously the blonde took this as a sign that Midorima still hadn't forgiven or forgotten Kuroko's betrayal. Kise opened her mouth to cheer in joy but Midorima chose to clear up her misunderstanding at that point.

"I rather prefer the real person's company, don't you think?" she questioned. "I mean why would I need something like that when I can find comfort in a living human's presence. Wouldn't that be simply absurd?"

With that, Midorima turned away and left the corridor. She didn't turn around even when she heard a distinct ripping sound that was definitely not fake. At least, she understood Kise's true nature now, but that was hardly the biggest problem at the moment. She had a team to return to, a friend to stand with and a relationship to mend.

Now that her standings were clear, she could expect the events of the following days. Whether they held good or bad, she would stay where she was now. She could only hope that it wouldn't get to her as much, knowing what would happen.

Under her breath, Midorima murmured quietly, "Goodbye Kise. We won't be seeing each other again; probably never in the same way at least."

* * *

><p>"I am sorry Kagami-kun," Kuroko apologized as the group of Seirin players stood outside of a Okonimyaki shop. "I have to do this."<p>

"No," Kagami protested. "No! Don't you even dare! Kuroko!" Kagami slid off Kuroko's back, landing back-first into the muddy sidewalk which was covered in puddles of water. Kagami lay on the ground, the side of his jersey now streaked with murky mud.

Kuroko helped a raging Kagami up as their upperclassmen slid open the sliding door of the store and walked in as if nothing had happened. Kagami grumbled under his breath, complaining about his present condition and threatening to kill Kuroko later on which hardly fazed the baby blue-head.

"A table for eleven, please," Aida requested the shop owner.

The owner reluctantly glanced around the store and informed Aida, "I'm sorry but I don't think there will be enough seats for all of you to sit together. Just two of you. If you don't mind…" Kuroko glanced around the shop and blinked incredulously as he saw a familiar length of blonde hair nearby.

Kise was looking straight at Kuroko, her golden eyes reflecting the same shock he felt. "Kurokocchi!" she exclaimed with a hushed excitement. She stood up from her seat and strutted over to Kuroko, a wide grin on her face. "Come sit with me and Kasamatsu-san. You don't have enough seats, right?" Aida looked as if she were going to protest but Kise cut in before she could. "Please don't worry. I don't mind," Kise ranted on, grabbing Kuroko's hand firmly between her own and dragging him from the pack of players. "Come on Kurokocchi."

Aida sent an apologetic frown to Kuroko but he shook his baby blue locks forgivingly. Kise pulled Kuroko forward and pushed him into the seat beside the one she had occupied. Kise paused as she was about to sit down, casting a glance over her shoulder. "Oh, Kagami. I didn't notice you," her voice filled with contemptuous superiority. "I guess you can sit with us as well, if you like."

Kagami let out a sound like a growl as he stalked over and took the seat next to Kasamatsu. Kise smirked knowingly and turned her head to watch Kuroko. Kuroko's cyan eyes followed the rest of the Seirin players until they sat down in the empty seats nearby. Aida was still staring at Kuroko and he blinked indifferently to her.

Kise tugged at Kuroko's sleeve, grinning happily. Kuroko's cyan eyes met the blonde's eyes and he shivered. The golden color looked as if no light were present in them. Just as Kise opened her mouth to speak, the doors slid open once more and a familiar voice called through the store. "Excuse me!" Takao called out. "Do you have two seats free?"

Kuroko turned in his seat and he saw the raven-haired point guard standing along Midorima. The apple greenette cast a shocked glance over the people in the shop. She punched Takao in the shoulder lightly and the raven-haired male frowned at Midorima. "Let's get out of here," she murmured under her breath. "I don't want to stay here." Midorima sent Kuroko a curt nod before turning away and stepping out of the store.

Kuroko had no time to contemplate Midorima's sudden change in attitude because as soon as she stepped out, she returned again with water drenching her hair and clothes. Beside him, Kise snickered to herself and Kuroko bit his bottom lip.

Takao suddenly met eyes with Kasamatsu and he ran over excitedly. "You're Kasamatsu-san, aren't you?" he grinned enthusiastically. "I know you. You were on Basketball Monthly and you're a nationally acknowledged point guard. Would you mind joining me? I really want to discuss some things with you." With that, Takao promptly lead Kasamatsu away from the table, leaving Midorima to take the remaining open seat.

The apple greenette seated herself in the chair, sinking quietly into it. She glanced at Kuroko and the baby blue-head simply nodded in return. "Let's order something first," he suggested, picking up a menu and glancing over it. He watched Midorima under cover of the menu, thanking Kagami internally when he broke the ice with his "food incantation."

They settled into a more comfortable silence as the food arrived and they began to eat. Kise was already almost finished with her food and she was engaged in a staring match with Midorima. Kuroko chose to concentrate on his food, trying to shiver as he felt Kise rub shoulders with him.

Midorima was the first to speak to anyone. "Kise," she murmured and the blonde looked up with interest. "You sure do eat food that looks like puke."

Kise theatrically grabbed on to Kuroko, fake crying. "How mean Midorima! Kurokocchi, say something to her!" Kuroko didn't register Kise's words as he realized that Kise had removed the -cchi from Midorima's name. He felt a jolt go through his spine as he thought of the times during middle school and a certain gray-haired girl.

Midorima had lost Kise's respect. That was a strange development indeed, but not at all shocking. Midorima's apple green eyes gazed into Kuroko's and he understood that the two were thinking along the same lines. It was only a matter of time.

"You look different, Kise," Midorima continued.

Kise blinked and pointed at herself. "Really?" she asked. "I didn't really think I looked different."

Midorima made a contemplative sound. "Hmm, something about your eyes are weird." Kise repeated the word incredulously, crossing her arms in front of her chest defensively. "Never mind," Midorima added as Kise opened her mouth to speak. "You haven't changed after all."

Kise huffed. "Unlike you though. There's something different about you. It probably had something to do with the fact that—"

"I agree with Kise-san," Kuroko spoke up, unable to let Midorima take the brunt of Kise's insults. "I believe it is a good thing though. There is nothing wrong with change."

Kise turned accusatory eyes on Kuroko. "What are you talking about Kurokocchi? There isn't a point to basketball if you don't win. Seriously, what happened to all those things we taught you? You should remember at least that slogan from Teiko."

"What are you three going on about?" Kagami interrupted all of a sudden. He had a bit of Okonomiyaki between his chopsticks and was chewing carefully. "You don't really have to think so hard. You play basketball because it's fun, right?"

"You wouldn't understand, Kagami," Midorima cut in shortly. "We don't just play basketball to have fun. It's not that simple for—" At that moment, a Okonomiyaki came flying and landed on Midorima's head in a sizzling mess. She stood, turning to find the perpetrator sitting extremely still. "We'll discuss this later," she announced before walking over to the other table. "Takao, come here."

After a few frightening seconds during which Takao's screams mingled with the sound of pounding rain, Midorima returned and reseated herself. "Kagami, I have one warning for you. There are two Miracles in the Tokyo district: one is me, the other is Aomine Daina." Midorima picked up her bag and shouldered it. "You would do best to remember her. She is a similar player to you."

"I don't like it. Her basketball," Kuroko stated softly, eyes directed at his plate of food. "Not one bit."

"Whatever," Midorima continued. "She is your next opponent and it won't be easy. Don't expect it to be simple at all." Leaving those words hanging in the air, Midorima walked off, her apple green orbs set on the door.

"Midorima-san," Kuroko called after the greenette. She half-turned, a small frown on her face. "Let's compete again."

Midorima nodded back, accepting the challenge. "Next time," she promised. "I won't lose."

* * *

><p>Kuroko stared at the caller ID on his persistent phone, desperately trying to ignore its incessant buzzing. The chattering in the restaurant had gone up a couple of notches and at this point Kise and Kagami joined in what looked like friendly banter.<p>

Kuroko bit the inside of his cheek lightly before getting out of his seat. Midorima looked at him questioningly and Kuroko shook his head to the greenette, not wanting to draw attention.

The baby blue-head slipped out of the shop and stood under the shelter of a canopy roof from the ceasing rain. His cellphone ceased to ring in his hand as he leaned against the wall of the shop.

The buzzing began again, sending shivers through his skin and hand. Kuroko peeked at the caller and his cyan eyes widened imperceptibly. Without another thought, he flipped the cell phone open and answered the call. Tentatively, he put the phone against his ear.

_"Hey Tetsu," _Aomine spoke on the other line and Kuroko's breath hitched. The voice was so close and Kuroko could almost imagine the tanned skin and navy blue hair; he could almost feel a warm breath against his ears as Aomine spoke again. _"'Bout time, don't you think?"_

"Ao...mine-san," Kuroko dared to say. His hands tightened around the cell phone, trying to steady his erratic heart.

_"You won, huh? Normally I would congratulate you but you don't deserve it," _Aomine chuckled on the other line. _"Your match with Midorima today only proved that she was a traitor and a weakling."_

Kuroko gritted his teeth. "That is not true," he defended. "Midorima-san is an exceptional player with pure talent. She isn't weak."

_"Then are you calling yourself exceptional? Or is it your light? Is it Kagami?" _Aomine laughed openly. _"That's stupid. As if that were the case. It doesn't matter. Either way, Midorima is a traitor; no doubt about it."_

"Did you call to pick a fight with me?" Kuroko inquired. "Or were you just bored? Please don't bother me with your nonsense."

Aomine paused on the other line. _"Nonsense? Yeah, true. You do realize you're made up of nonsense as well. The Phantom Sixth Man and all that...I mean, you can't even play on your own. What kind of Miracle would you be?" _

Kuroko almost dropped his phone, a lump forming in his throat. "I—" Kuroko began but his words threatened to break.

_"You betrayed me Tetsu. That goes without saying. But you still run back to us like a little baby bird. How come?" _Kuroko was unable to answer as he tried to calm himself and make sense of Aomine's words. _"I'll tell you why; it's because you can't leave. You are weak and reliant. You can't cope with isolation," _Aomine continued. _"You simply crave for us."_

"No," Kuroko protested. "That isn't—"

_"It is," _Aomine protested. _"It's not what you think. It's what you see. You can't keep away from us because as a Phantom, I was your light. That was why you were strong. Now, with Kagami, you can't draw out your so-called potential. That's why you will eventually return to us."_

"Did Akashi-san tell you that?" Kuroko asked. "I would do no such thing. I would never go back. I will never go running back to you."

Aomine hesitated before delivering a harsh blow. _"Then why did you pick up my call?"_

Kuroko gasped and dropped the phone this time. It landed softly below him and Kuroko stared blankly at the rain in front of him. When the baby blue-head finally picked up the phone again, the call had ended. Aomine had hung up on him.

* * *

><p>Midorima dumped her bag on her bed, sighing as she grabbed a dry towel and headed to the bathroom. She could already feel the insistent buzzing of her cell phone's vibrations but she chose to ignore them in favor of a shower.<p>

After a quick wash, Midorima, with a towel around her wet hair, eased herself on to her bed and laid down, staring at the bare ceiling. In her left hand, she held her lime green cell phone cautiously. All she heard was the slow ticking of her clock, counting the seconds as they went by. She counted the seconds slowly in her mind. One. Two. Three. Her phone buzzed, signalling that a message had arrived. Three buzzes followed consecutively.

Midorima flipped open her phone and opened the messages. She clicked the first one from Akashi. Two commanding words: "Call me" appeared on the screen and Midorima pursed her lips. She chose to pretend that she hadn't opened that message yet and she went back to look at the other ones.

Kise's message was standard and Midorima could almost hear Kise's cold voice through the screen. 'I forgot to tell you before,' it read. 'I hope you enjoy the rest of your career in basketball. Though I doubt it will last long.' Midorima snorted contemptuously. "How vain," she murmured.

The next message was from Aomine. 'Heard you lost,' the words hit Midorima coldly. 'I guess that's all I can say.' Midorima frowned at the message before snapping shut the cell phone and rubbing her temple. Aomine's message was subtly painful and Aomine's typically vague attitude annoyed Midorima greatly.

Midorima breathed in and opened the cell phone once more. The last message from Murasakibara was a single word that left Midorima in utter befuddlement. 'Bye,' the message read and Midorima almost replied to Murasakibara to ask what the purple-haired girl meant.

However, Midorima remembered that Akashi had asked her to call. Immediately. Midorima reluctantly went to the call menu and selected Akashi's number. She bit her bottom lip in anxiety as she put the phone to her ear warily.

The sound of the phone ringing caused Midorima to sweat. It almost felt like years before Akashi finally picked up: which in terms of actual time had only been a few seconds. Without any casual chat, Akashi quickly sprung into business. _"Shinju," _Akashi's voice sounded against Midorima's eardrum. _"I heard you lost."_

"Yes," Midorima replied patiently. "To Kuroko."

Akashi paused for a moment before adding, _"Yes, to Tetsuya."_ Midorima waited for a bomb to drop but Akashi continued softly, _"I am hardly surprised. This is Tetsuya we are talking about after all. It was only a matter of time."_

"Was it?" Midorima asked absentmindedly. "I dislike how you make it sound as if I lost on purpose."

_"How else would you have lost?" _Akashi asked bluntly. Midorima's apple green eyes widened at the words and she almost gaped at the ceiling. _"The idea of losing to anyone, for you, is unthinkable. Especially to someone such as Tetsuya. I doubt you wanted to lose to him."_

"I am not you," Midorima felt numb and cold. "I lose. That is how my life works."

_"And so it does," _Akashi agreed contemplatively. _"Yet it is not necessarily the case. How exactly did you lose?"_

Midorima gripped the phone tightly between her fingers. "I simply lost. They were stronger. Seirin was stronger. That was all there is to it. Unlike you, I am acquainted with the concept of losing. I don't always win."

Akashi chuckled on the other side of the connection. _"So it may be. However, it is unlike you to be vague. Tell me, are you sure Tetsuya was stronger? Or Kagami for that matter. From what I have been informed, Kagami is quote-on-quote 'disappointingly weak' and 'a hot-blooded coward.' Mind telling me what I was misinformed of?"_

"You heard that from Kise, didn't you?" Midorima asked quietly. "He didn't know Kuroko back then."

_"So it all goes back to Tetsuya," _Akashi mused, a dark hint in her voice. _"I should have known."_

"Exactly as we did," Midorima put in grimly. "Everything revolves around Kuroko, as always."

_"I disagree," _Akashi contradicted immediately. _"Tetsuya is not the center of everything. He is simply a tool of sorts, or otherwise a companion. Tetsuya wasn't the focal of our lives. He was the entertainment, possibly, but nothing else."_

Midorima chewed the inside of her cheek, Kise's words returning to her. _"__Kurokocchi left and there was nothing else to keep us tied as a group so we all drifted away," _she had said. Kise had explained that there were two things tying them together. One was Kuroko. The other was…what?

"No," Midorima protested. "No, that isn't true. Kuroko was always the center of things. Everything we did was for him. Everything we said was for him. We stayed together all for him. Kuroko kept us together and you were the one that said we had to do everything for him. That was you."

_"No, Shinju," _Akashi cut in. _"That was not me. What I say is right. After all, I am always the victor, therefore I am always right. The winners have everything and the losers get nothing. That is the law of the world, is it not?"_

"But," Midorima's voice rose suddenly. "That time, before Kuroko figured out his abilities, whilst we were hanging out with him, and most of all during that last match in the Nationals—"

Akashi spoke as if Midorima's interruption hadn't even occured. _"Which brings me to my original intentions. Now that you have lost, Shinju, I doubt you are qualified to be one of us."_

At those straightforward words, Midorima almost dropped the phone. Her hands were shaking, et teeth clenching painfully. It was one thing comin from Kise, another coming from the captain herself.

Midorima steadied her ragged breathing as Akashi continued nonchalantly. _"I have a proposition though," _Midorima almost sighed with relief but her throat clenched in on itself again when Akashi spoke. _"I propose that we let you keep your title as one of the Generation of Miracles, but in return, I would like you to never associate with Tetsuya ever again."_

Midorima could feel the color drain from her face. Her heart pounded against her ribs in quick succession. The silence tickled her skin and prickled against her ears.

Never talk to Kuroko again. Never see him. Never get to go back to the old days—when they smiled and laughed together, and no matter how much was genuine, there was truth in that moment that she had first met him. To give up Kuroko was not an easy bargain; it was a bargain she couldn't afford to make.

"I'm sorry," Midorima whispered into the phone. "But I can't do that. I will have to reject your proposal."

_"If that is what you want then, Shinju," _Akashi's voice had settled into a tone of finality. There was no hint of reluctance, only the hard voice of someone who was doing what they had to do. _"Very well."_

Midorima shut her eyes firmly, her hand gripping her cellphone so tightly that her knuckles showed white against her skin. She bit her lip, a hand gripping her lucky item—the racoon statue—almost to the point that it broke.

_"I hereby excommunicate you from the Generation of Miracles," _there was a soft cluck of disapproval as Akashi added. _"I am disappointed in you...Midorima-san."_

The line beeped in Midorima's ear. The greenette fell on to the bed beside her, closing her eyes exhaustedly. She refused to think, to regret or to ask herself questions. She shut her eyes and slept, her head a dull repetition of Akashi's last words to her. Her last thought before sleep overwhelmed her was that she finally understood Murasakibara's message.

* * *

><p>It was a few days after the Interhigh preliminaries finals had ended and practice had just finished. Kuroko chuckled as he remembered the events of the practice that day. Aida had requested that they bring their previous test scores that day and upon inspection, Aida had concluded that only Kagami needed to undergo rigorous academic training. It was a hectic event but Kuroko was glad he would have to take no part in receiving educational training from Aida, knowing how normal basketball practice went.<p>

Kuroko was walking home, wondering about the end of term tests. He turned a corner, head bowed in contemplation and only looked up when he ran into someone taller than him. Kuroko looked upwards and was astonished to see Midorima standing before him.

"Hello," Kuroko greeted quietly. "It is strange to see you here so far from your home."

"That's not true," Midorima disagreed. "My house is this way." Kuroko wanted to point out that he knew perfectly well that her house was the other way but he saved her the embarrassment but avoiding the subject.

"What do you want to talk to me about?" Kuroko asked.

Midorima glared at Kuroko from behind her glasses. "As I have said before, don't assume that the world revolves around you. There is no sign that I came here to talk specifically to you. Might I suggest you be a little less self-centered."

"Why did you come here then, Midorima-san?" he asked with questioning cyan eyes. "I am genuinely curious."

Midorima paused, staring at her bandaged left hand and gripping her lucky item with her right hand. "Kuroko," she addressed him slowly. "What would you do, if I told you that I wasn't one of the Generation of Miracles anymore?"

Kuroko blinked and replied instantaneously. "I wouldn't think much about it."

"Is that true?" Midorima cast a wary eye in Kuroko's direction. "Would you truly think nothing of it or are you putting up a front? I know this isn't the case for the other four, so tell me, what do you think as the Phantom Sixth Man? Would you truly think nothing of it?"

"I am not one of the Generation of Miracles," Kuroko spoke darkly. "I am not like them. I will not take you for granted based on your skills in basketball or the name you hold. You are Midorima-san. To me that is enough to garner respect. Therefore the answer is yes. I will think nothing of it."

"Kuroko," Midorima spoke to the baby blue-head, eyes narrowing softly. "Are you sure? Even if I am no longer the shooting guard of the Generation of Miracles. Even if I am only the shooting guard of Shutoku and..." she paused and Kuroko felt a jolt. He didn't need her to say it and he told her so by laying a hand on her shoulder.

Nonetheless, Midorima swallowed her pride and opened her mouth again, this time clearly outlining the truth. "I am no longer one of the Generation of Miracles. I am just Midorima Shinju; shooting guard of Shutoku and an enemy of the Miracles."

Kuroko squeezed her shoulder and moved back to look at her in full view. "And I am Kuroko Tetsuya," Kuroko's voice was quiet. "I am the sixth man of Seirin High and I am your friend; no matter what. I won't reject you. You, as in simply yourself, are worthy in my eyes. That is all I care about. I understand that you are Midorima Shinju, but from the beginning that is all I saw in you."

Midorima smiled appreciatively and murmured under her breath, breathing out relief as if she had finally heard what she wanted to hear. "Thank you." She held out a hand and Kuroko grasped it and shook. The greenette held on to his hands for a few seconds more before letting go and smiling ruefully. "I'll see you around, I suppose."

Kuroko gave a soft smile in response and observed the greenette as she trudged away, her shoulders more relaxed than before. Kuroko turned to head back inside but couldn't help but glance at Midorima once more.

_"Hello, I am Kuroko," Kuroko told the greenette who was leaning against the gymnasium doors. "I will be joining the first string from today onwards." The greenette grunted in response before budging away. Kuroko could feel her eyes on him and he self-consciously glanced at the female._

_"Is something wrong?" he finally asked._

_Midorima shook her head. "You're the guy Akashi was talking about," she murmured. "Don't you dare pull us down." With that, the greenette stalked inside towards the locker rooms._

_Kuroko watched her retreating figure and suddenly surged forward. "I promise I won't," he vowed, grabbing the greenette's hand. "I won't betray you or your expectations, ever."_

_Midorima grunted again and shook her head. "Whatever." Midorima paused before adding, "See you around, I suppose."_

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>Kuroko no Basuke rightfully belongs to Fujimaki Tadatoshi. The characters in this story do not belong to me. I only own this piece itself and the plotline. Any similar works are purely coincidental.

**Author's Note: **Sorry for the wait! Here it is...chapter 11 and probably one of the biggest developments in this story. I know you've all anticipated the miracles' reactions to Midorima's loss and there it is. Thank you to everyone who showered me with support. I am working on planning other stories right now although they mainly focus on romance but if anyone is interested, just look out for it as I hope to bring it to life soon. Until next time!

_Chapter 12: Aomine and Kagami meet for the first time. Kuroko reveals to Kagami the true nature of his relationship with Aomine. Kagami makes a promise he may not be able to keep. ...Next Chapter; "Tell me."_


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